Several bills authored by Texas State Senator Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, that protect the privacy of Texans have been signed into law by Gov.Greg Abbott. The bills will take effect on Sept. 1.
Below is an overview of Senator Nelson’s privacy bill package, according to Nelson’s office:
Judicial Safety: SB 73 protects judges and their families by closing a loophole to keep personal information private. The bill builds on the 85th Legislature’s Judge Julie Kocurek Judicial and Courthouse Security Act by expanding the list of documents county clerks may conceal to include mineral leases, mechanic’s liens, and any other document with a judge’s address.
“Given the nature of their work, judges often become targets of individuals who wish to do them harm. It is important that we take these extra measures to ensure the safety of our judges and their families,” Nelson said.
Occupational Licensing Privacy: SB 237 directs a review of each agency’s policies to protect the personal information of their licensees as part of the Sunset Review Process.
“I filed this bill in response to a constituent whose personal information was included on a public website related to her occupational license information. In an age of heightened focus on cybersecurity, agencies must keenly review the information they are freely sharing online,” Nelson said.
Texas Privacy Protection Advisory Council: HB 4390, sponsored by Senator Nelson strengthens current data breach notification laws by requiring businesses to alert consumers within 60 days if their personal data is breached, and creates the Texas Privacy Protection Advisory Council to analyze data privacy laws.
“Texans take their privacy very seriously, and our laws governing data privacy will now reflect that. If a business collects personal data, they must alert the consumer when their personal information is compromised so that proper precautions can be taken,” Nelson said.
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