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Bill

HB 5495

Relating to authorizing the use of global privacy controls to protect a consumer's personal data; providing a civil penalty.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Salman Bhojani

HB 5495 requires Texas businesses to honor global privacy control signals from consumers or face civil penalties for unauthorized data use.

Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
#business&commerce--general(i0050) #computers&software(s2425) #civilremedies&liabilities(i0065) #consumerprotection(i0080) #internet(s0130) #protectionofpersonalinformation(i0003)
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Bill Summary · HB 5495

Legislative bill overview

HB 5495 would authorize Texas consumers to use global privacy controls—standardized technical signals that communicate opt-out preferences across websites—to protect their personal data. The bill would establish these controls as legally binding directives for businesses and impose civil penalties for non-compliance.

Why is this important

This addresses growing consumer concern about data collection and tracking across the internet. Currently, businesses can largely ignore privacy preference signals, making it difficult for individuals to manage their digital footprint. Standardizing these controls could shift power dynamics between consumers and data collectors, though implementation challenges remain significant.

Potential points of contention

  • Business compliance burden: Companies argue implementing global privacy controls across different data systems is technically complex and costly, particularly for small businesses without dedicated privacy infrastructure
  • Conflict with existing laws: Texas already has limited privacy regulations; this could conflict with federal frameworks like CCPA (California) and create patchwork compliance issues across states
  • Definition and enforcement ambiguity: The bill's language on what constitutes "global privacy controls" and how civil penalties would be calculated and enforced remains unclear and could spawn litigation
  • Effectiveness questions: Critics note that sophisticated tracking often persists despite opt-out signals, raising doubts about whether this approach genuinely protects consumer data

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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