HB 793

relating to the confidentiality of certain personal information of
an applicant for or a person protected by a protective order.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 82.011, Family Code, is amended to read
Sec. 82.011.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION.  On
request by an applicant, the court shall [may] protect the
applicant's mailing address and county of residence by rendering an
(1)  requiring the applicant to:
(A)  disclose the applicant's mailing address and
county of residence to the court;
(B)  designate a person to receive on behalf of
the applicant any notice or documents filed with the court related
(C)  disclose the designated person's mailing
(2)  requiring the court clerk to:
(A)  strike the applicant's mailing address and
county of residence from the public records of the court, if
(B)  maintain a confidential record of the
applicant's mailing address and county of residence for use only by
(3)  prohibiting the release of the information to the
SECTION 2.  Section 85.007, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
(a)  On request by a person protected by an order or an adult
member of the family or household of a person protected by an order,
the court shall [may] exclude from a protective order:
(1)  the address, county of residence, and telephone
number of a person protected by the order; or
(2)  the address and telephone number of:
(A)  the place of employment or business of a
person protected by the order; or
(B)  the child-care facility or school a child
protected by the order attends or in which the child resides.
(a-1)  In a hearing on an application for a protective order,
the court shall inform each person described by Subsection (a) who
is present at the hearing of the person's right, on request, to have
information described by that subsection excluded from the
protective order and specifically ask the person if the person
wishes the court to exclude that information from the protective
SECTION 3.  Section 87.004, Family Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1)  On request by a person protected by an order, the
court shall keep confidential the changed address or telephone
number in the notification described by Subsection (a).  On
granting a request for confidentiality under this subsection, the
court shall order the clerk to maintain a confidential record of the
information as described by Section 85.007(b)(2) and exclude that
information from the notification.  If the applicant seeks to keep
confidential the applicant's mailing address, the applicant must:
(1)  disclose the applicant's mailing address and
county of residence to the court;
(2)  designate a person to receive on behalf of the
applicant any notice or documents filed with the court related to
(3)  disclose the designated person's mailing address
SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies to an
application for a protective order that is pending on or filed on or
after the effective date of this Act or a notification of change of
address or telephone number that is filed on or after the effective
SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.