By: Campbell  S.B. No. 958
         (In the Senate - Filed February 15, 2023; March 3, 2023,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
  April 17, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 10,
  Nays 0; April 17, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the prohibited release by a public agency of personal
  affiliation information regarding the members, supporters, or
  volunteers of or donors to certain nonprofit organizations;
  creating a criminal offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle Z, Title 10, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 3001 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 3001.  GOVERNMENTAL ACTION RELATED TO PERSONAL AFFILIATION
  INFORMATION
         Sec. 3001.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Nonprofit organization" means an entity that is
  exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a), Internal
  Revenue Code of 1986, by being listed as an exempt entity under
  Section 501(c) of that code, has submitted an application with the
  Internal Revenue Service for recognition of an exemption under
  Section 501(c) of that code, or is a nonprofit corporation or
  association organized or formed under the laws of this state or
  another state.
               (2)  "Personal affiliation information" means a list,
  record, registry, roster, or other compilation of any data that
  directly or indirectly identifies a person as a member, supporter,
  or volunteer of, or a donor of financial or nonfinancial support to,
  a nonprofit organization.
               (3)  "Public agency" means a state or local
  governmental unit, including:
                     (A)  this state or a department, agency, office,
  commission, board, division, or other entity of this state in the
  executive branch of state government;
                     (B)  any state or local court or other judicial or
  quasi-judicial body in the judicial branch of state government;
                     (C)  a university system or an institution of
  higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code; or
                     (D)  a political subdivision of this state,
  including a county, municipality, school district, community
  college district, or any other local governmental unit, agency,
  authority, council, board, or commission.
         Sec. 3001.002.  PROTECTED PERSONAL AFFILIATION INFORMATION.
  (a)  Notwithstanding any other law except Section 3001.003, a
  public agency or an officer or employee of a public agency may not:
               (1)  require an individual to provide personal
  affiliation information to the agency or otherwise compel the
  release of personal affiliation information;
               (2)  require a nonprofit organization to provide
  personal affiliation information to the agency or otherwise compel
  the release of personal affiliation information;
               (3)  release, publicize, or otherwise publicly
  disclose personal affiliation information in the agency's
  possession; or
               (4)  request or require a current or prospective
  contractor with or grantee of the agency to provide to the agency a
  list of nonprofit organizations to which the contractor or grantee
  has provided financial or nonfinancial support.
         (b)  Personal affiliation information is excepted from
  release under Chapter 552.
         Sec. 3001.003.  EXCEPTIONS. Section 3001.002 does not apply
  to:
               (1)  personal affiliation information included in a
  report required to be filed under state law by a candidate for
  public office, a public official, or a person required to register
  as a lobbyist under Chapter 305;
               (2)  a warrant for personal affiliation information
  issued by a court in this state;
               (3)  a request for discovery of personal affiliation
  information in an action brought in a court in this state if the
  requestor:
                     (A)  demonstrates by clear and convincing
  evidence a compelling need for the information; and
                     (B)  obtains a protective order barring release of
  the information to any person not directly involved in the action;
               (4)  personal affiliation information admitted as
  relevant evidence in an action before a court provided the court
  does not publicly release the information unless the court
  specifically finds good cause for the release;
               (5)  personal affiliation information voluntarily
  released to the public by a person or nonprofit organization;
               (6)  personal affiliation information disclosing the
  identity of a director, officer, resident agent, or incorporator of
  a nonprofit organization in any report, including a report required
  under state law to be filed with the secretary of state, provided
  that information directly identifying an individual as a donor of
  financial support to a nonprofit organization is not collected or
  disclosed;
               (7)  personal affiliation information that is derived
  from an individual's donation to a nonprofit organization
  affiliated with a public agency and is required by state law, unless
  the individual submitted a request for the nonprofit organization
  to maintain the individual's anonymity; and
               (8)  personal affiliation information obtained by a
  national securities association registered under Section 15A of the
  Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. Section 78o-3), obtained
  under regulations adopted under that Act, or provided by a national
  securities association to a state agency in accordance with that
  Act and state law.
         Sec. 3001.004.  CIVIL ACTION. A person who alleges a
  violation of Section 3001.002 may bring a civil action to obtain
  appropriate:
               (1)  injunctive relief;
               (2)  damages incurred by the person in an amount equal
  to:
                     (A)  not less than $2,500 as compensatory damages
  for injury or loss caused by each violation; or
                     (B)  a sum not to exceed three times the amount
  described in Paragraph (A) for each intentional violation; and
               (3)  court costs, including reasonable attorney's and
  witness fees.
         Sec. 3001.005.  IMMUNITY WAIVED. A person who alleges a
  violation of Section 3001.002 may sue the public agency for the
  relief provided under Section 3001.004.  Sovereign or governmental
  immunity, as applicable, is waived and abolished to the extent of
  liability for that relief.
         Sec. 3001.006.  CRIMINAL PENALTY. A person commits an
  offense if the person violates Section 3001.002. An offense under
  this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 3001, Government Code, as added by this
  Act, applies only to personal affiliation information released or
  disclosed on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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