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Bill

HB 242

Relating to the creation of the criminal offense of disseminating personally identifiable voter information.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Ryan Guillen and 4 co-sponsors

Texas criminalizes unauthorized dissemination of voter personally identifiable information to protect voter privacy and prevent harassment or intimidation of registered voters.

Considered in Calendars
#crimes--miscellaneous(i0200) #elections--general(i0310) #protectionofpersonalinformation(i0003)
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Bill Summary · HB 242

Legislative bill overview

HB 242 creates a new criminal offense in Texas for the unauthorized dissemination of personally identifiable voter information (such as names, addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses linked to voter registration). The bill establishes penalties for individuals or entities that publicly share this sensitive data without consent, likely aiming to protect voter privacy and prevent harassment or targeting of registered voters.

Why is this important

Voter information has become increasingly vulnerable to public exposure through data breaches, political campaigns, and online platforms. Unauthorized dissemination can enable harassment, doxxing, or intimidation of voters, potentially chilling voter participation. This bill addresses a modern election security concern by creating legal consequences for privacy violations tied specifically to voting records.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition and scope: The bill's specific definition of "dissemination" and what constitutes "personally identifiable" information may be unclear—does it cover partial information, aggregated data, or only direct sharing? This ambiguity could lead to inconsistent enforcement.
  • First Amendment tensions: Critics may argue that publishing voter information, particularly for transparency or political accountability purposes, could constitute protected speech in some contexts, creating constitutional concerns.
  • Practical enforcement challenges: Determining intent and identifying responsibility across digital platforms, social media, and interstate actors poses significant enforcement difficulties and raises questions about who bears liability (publishers, platforms, individuals).

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

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