HB 2177
AN ACT relating to authorizing the disclosure of certain electronic
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Allows electronic communications service providers to disclose customer data to government entities if they genuinely believe an immediate life-threatening situation exists that could prevent death or serious bodily injury. The legislation creates an exception to existing privacy protections, enabling service providers to share electronic customer information with authorities when they have a good faith belief that doing so could help prevent imminent harm. The law will take effect on September 1, 2025, and applies to all electronic customer data disclosures made on or after that date.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to authorizing the disclosure of certain electronic customer data by a provider of an electronic communications service or a remote computing service in certain immediate life-threatening BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Articles 18B.502(a) and (b), Code of Criminal Procedure, are amended to read as follows: (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c) and Article 18B.5025, a provider of an electronic communications service may not knowingly divulge the contents of a communication that is in (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c) and Article 18B.5025, a provider of a remote computing service may not knowingly divulge the contents of a communication that: (1) is in electronic storage on behalf of a subscriber or customer of the service provider; (2) is received by means of electronic transmission from the subscriber or customer or created by means of computer processing of communications received by means of electronic transmission from the subscriber or customer; and (3) is solely for the purpose of providing storage or computer processing services to the subscriber or customer, if the service provider is not authorized to obtain access to the contents of that communication for purposes of providing any service other than storage or computer processing. SECTION 2. Subchapter K, Chapter 18B, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended by adding Article 18B.5025 to read as Art. 18B.5025. DISCLOSURE IN IMMEDIATE LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. A provider of an electronic communications service or a provider of a remote computing service may disclose electronic customer data to a governmental entity if the provider in good faith believes an immediate life-threatening situation exists that requires the immediate disclosure of the electronic customer data to assist in preventing any death or serious bodily injury that may result from the immediate life-threatening situation. SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a disclosure of electronic customer data by a provider of an electronic communications service or a remote computing service made on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill Sponsors
Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to authorizing the disclosure of certain electronic
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