Texas Privacy, Telecom Bills Signed

Texas will be the 11th state with a consumer privacy law. Over the weekend, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed HB-4, which largely follows in the mold of Virginia and Connecticut laws (see 2305300057). Also, Abbott signed a data broker registration bill (SB-2105), a broadband mapping bill (SB-2119) and a USF bill (SB-1710) to establish a competition test allowing the Texas Public Utility Commission to decide whether previously rural areas should continue receiving support. Abbott vetoed SB-2399, which would have clarified that the PUC should continue to grant operating authority certificates to VoIP providers. “Texans are faced with perpetually increasing threats to their family's privacy with unscrupulous actors collecting their personal data and activities," the privacy bill’s sponsor, Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R), said Monday: "Texans deserve to know what information is being collected and how to delete that information if they so choose.” Florida was the 10th state with a privacy law (see 2306060030).