Protecting Texans’ Personal Data
While politicians in Washington continue to debate how best to protect Americans’ digital data, Texas Republicans in the State Legislature are already taking a stand to protect Texans and their information.
Texas has taken a significant step toward protecting the privacy and personal information of its residents by introducing H.B. 1844, a comprehensive privacy bill, which could make Texas the sixth state in the U.S. to enact major privacy legislation.
The bill, submitted by Texas State Representative Giovanni Capriglione on February 6, proposes various rights for Texas residents concerning their personal data.
“This bill gives consumers back control of their data by allowing them to know when data is collected, delete data, and opt out of the sale of personal data,” Capriglione said.
The proposed legislation also includes provisions for data minimization, processing limitations, data security, non-discrimination, third-party contracting, and data protection assessments. Additionally, it imposes specific requirements on entities that process data on behalf of a controller or agency, so both controllers and processors are held to high standards of data stewardship.
“Consumers deserve to know what information is being collected and how to delete that information if they so choose,” Capriglione said.
As Texas moves toward enacting this comprehensive privacy bill, its efforts reflect the growing concerns about data privacy and security in the digital age.
“This legislation will finally give Texans the power to take control of their data,” Capriglione said.
