Relating to the security of certain personal identifying information submitted to or retained by a state agency, the official text

H.B. No. 5129

AN ACT

relating to the security of certain personal identifying

information submitted to or retained by a state agency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Right to Privacy

Act.

SECTION 2. The heading to Chapter 2062, Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

CHAPTER 2062. RESTRICTIONS ON STATE AGENCY USE AND DISSEMINATION

OF CERTAIN PERSONAL [INDIVIDUAL-IDENTIFYING] INFORMATION

SECTION 3. Section 2062.001, Government Code, is amended by

amending Subdivision (2) and adding Subdivision (3) to read as

follows:

(2) "Personal identifying information" includes a

person's home address, home telephone number, personal cell phone

number, personal e-mail address, driver's license number,

emergency contact information, and information that reveals

whether a person has family members.

(3) "State agency" means a department, commission,

board, office, council, authority, or other agency in the

executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government,

including a university system or institution of higher education as

defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, that is created by the

constitution or a statute of this state.

SECTION 4. Chapter 2062, Government Code, is amended by

adding Section 2062.003 to read as follows:

Sec. 2062.003. CONSENT REQUIRED BEFORE DISSEMINATING

CERTAIN PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION; RECORDS. (a) Except as

provided by Subsection (b), a state agency may not, without written

consent, disseminate to any person the personal identifying

information of a person who submits information to the state agency

for the purpose of obtaining an occupational license.

(b) A state agency may disseminate information described by

Subsection (a) with respect to a person without the person's

written consent if the dissemination is:

(1) required or permitted by a federal statute or by

another law of this state; or

(2) made by or to a law enforcement agency for a law

enforcement purpose.

(c) A state agency shall retain the written consent of a

person obtained as required under this section in the state

agency's records.

(d) For purposes of this section, the term "occupational

license" does not include a license or permit that is administered

by the comptroller under the Occupations Code.

SECTION 5. Section 2062.003, Government Code, as added by

this Act, applies only to information disseminated or retained by a

state agency on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 5129 was passed by the House on May

12, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 1 present, not

voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 5129 was passed by the Senate on May

27, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: _____________________

Date

_____________________

Governor