BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4350

By: Capriglione

Intergovernmental Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that peace officers confront daily risks inherent to their profession and, beyond the physical dangers encountered in the line of duty, face escalating threats from individuals who may seek retribution by exploiting publicly accessible personal information. The digital age has amplified these risks, as online databases can inadvertently serve as tools for those with malicious intent to locate and potentially harm officers and their families. The bill author has also informed the committee that ensuring the safety of officers is paramount, and while transparency in public records is a valued principle, it must be balanced against the legitimate privacy and security concerns of individuals, especially those serving in sensitive roles. Current statutes afford similar protections to federal judges, U.S. attorneys, and state judges. H.B. 4350 seeks to address this issue and extend safeguards to peace officers by allowing those officers to request the redaction of their personal information, specifically social security numbers, driver's license numbers, and residential addresses, from online real property records to proactively protect their personal information without compromising the overall integrity of public records.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4350 amends the Property Code to include a peace officer and a special investigator, as specified by applicable provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, among the persons for whom a county clerk, on receipt of a written request from the person, must omit or redact the person's social security number, driver's license number, and residence address from a real property record instrument that is available in an online database made public by the clerk or by a provider with which the county commissioners court contracts to provide the database.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.