S.B. No. 2514

AN ACT

relating to establishing the hostile foreign adversaries unit at the Department of Public Safety and training, prohibitions, and reporting requirements designed to combat foreign influence and foreign adversary operations; creating a criminal offense.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter S to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER S. HOSTILE FOREIGN ADVERSARIES UNIT

Sec. 411.551. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Foreign adversary operation" means actions by adversarial foreign governments that threaten the safety and security of this state.

(2) "Unit" means the department's hostile foreign adversaries unit established under this subchapter.

Sec. 411.552. HOSTILE FOREIGN ADVERSARIES UNIT. The hostile foreign adversaries unit is established in the department to support the department's duty to prevent the harassment and coercion of this state's residents from foreign adversary operations, strengthen state agencies against foreign adversary operations, and protect this state's critical infrastructure against threats foreign adversary operations pose.

Sec. 411.553. UNIT EMPLOYEES. The director may appoint unit employees as necessary to perform unit functions.

Sec. 411.554. BIENNIAL REPORT. (a) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, the unit shall submit to the governor and the legislature a written report that assesses the threat foreign adversary operations posed to this state, including to this state's residents and governmental units, during the preceding two years. The report must include:

(1) an assessment of the incidence of foreign adversary operations conducted in this state, including operations intended to influence political sentiment or public discourse; and

(2) strategies that have proven effective to combat the operations described by Subdivision (1).

(b) On request by the unit, a state agency or a local law enforcement agency shall provide to the unit information relating to any foreign adversary operation that the agency has researched or investigated or otherwise holds relevant information on.

Sec. 411.555. ADDITIONAL DUTIES. (a) The unit shall collaborate with local governments and federal agencies to operate the Texas Fusion Center.

(b) The unit shall refer for prosecution to the appropriate prosecuting attorney cases in which individuals or organizations have engaged in or assisted in foreign adversary operations in this state.

Sec. 411.556. SECURE STORAGE OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION. (a) The unit shall provide for the secure storage of sensitive information obtained or produced as part of the report developed under Section 411.554.

(b) Information determined as sensitive under Subsection (a) is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552.

Sec. 411.557. INFORMATION SHARING. With the approval of the director, the unit may share information determined sensitive under Section 411.556(a) with another federal, state, or local law enforcement agency. The disclosure of information under this section is not a voluntary disclosure under Section 552.007.

Sec. 411.558. RULES. The commission may adopt rules to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 572.070 to read as follows:

Sec. 572.070. PROHIBITIONS AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO FOREIGN INFLUENCE; CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) In this section, "foreign adversary" means a country:

(1) identified by the United States Director of National Intelligence as a country that poses a risk to the national security of the United States in at least one of the three most recent Annual Threat Assessments of the U.S. Intelligence Community issued pursuant to Section 108B, National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. Section 3043b); or

(2) designated by the governor after consultation with the public safety director of the Department of Public Safety.

(b) An employee or volunteer of a state agency or a political subdivision of this state may not:

(1) accept transportation to or lodging in a country that is a foreign adversary and that is paid for by the foreign adversary because of the employee's or volunteer's position with the state or political subdivision; or

(2) accept a gift or item of value from a person representing a foreign adversary for any purpose, including to pay for travel expenses or as reimbursement for the costs of attending a conference or other event in a country that is a foreign adversary or that is hosted on behalf of a foreign adversary or a principal of a foreign adversary.

(c) An employee or volunteer of a state agency or a political subdivision of this state shall report to the commission, in the form and manner the commission requires, each interaction, communication, or meeting the employee or volunteer has with a person acting on behalf of a foreign adversary not later than the 30th day after the date of the interaction, communication, or meeting. The commission shall make available a report under this subsection to the attorney general and the Texas Department of Public Safety on request.

(d) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly violates this section. An offense under this subsection is a state jail felony.

SECTION 3. Section 2054.519, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read as follows:

(f) In addition to the requirements for certification under Subsection (b), a cybersecurity training program must include education on:

(1) the threat of foreign adversaries and other hostile foreign actors, including the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and other coordinated foreign influence operations;

(2) known efforts by foreign adversaries to target and influence subnational governments, including efforts made by the United Front Work Department;

(3) identifying and recognizing suspected foreign influence operations;

(4) informational resources promulgated by federal, state, and nongovernmental organizations on United Front Work Department activities in this state and adjacent states; and

(5) reporting to the Texas Ethics Commission as required by Section 572.070 and to law enforcement agencies suspected foreign influence operations and other interactions with persons acting on behalf of a foreign adversary.

(g) In Subsection (f), "foreign adversary" has the meaning assigned by Section 572.070.

SECTION 4. Section 572.070(c), Government Code, as added by this Act, applies to an interaction, communication, or meeting with a person acting on behalf of a foreign adversary that occurs on or after March 1, 2025. A person required to report an interaction, communication, or meeting under that section that occurred before the effective date of this Act shall make the report not later than the 30th day after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 5. (a) Not later than December 1, 2025, the Department of Information Resources shall adopt rules implementing the certification requirements of Section 2054.519(f), Government Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Section 2054.519(f), Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to the certification of a cybersecurity training program under that section that occurs on or after May 1, 2026. The certification of a cybersecurity training program under that section that occurs before May 1, 2026, is governed by the law in effect on the date of the certification, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2514 passed the Senate on May 5, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2514 passed the House on May 23, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 114, Nays 24, one present not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

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Governor