Bill > SB1807

This bill strengthens protections for personal privacy in protective order cases by changing existing Texas Family Code sections to make confidentiality of certain personal information mandatory rather than discretionary. Specifically, the bill requires courts to protect an applicant's or protected person's mailing address, county of residence, telephone number, and employment/school location upon request. Courts must now strike these details from public records and maintain them in a confidential record that cannot be released to the respondent. The bill also mandates that during protective order hearings, the court must explicitly inform persons present about their right to have personal information excluded from the order and directly ask if they wish to do so. Additionally, when a person protected by an order requests to change their address or telephone number, the court must keep that information confidential by maintaining a separate, non-public record. These changes aim to provide greater privacy and safety for individuals seeking protection through the legal system, potentially helping to prevent further contact or tracking by potentially dangerous individuals.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1807