Texas Senate Bill SB 2690

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 3/13/25
• Out of Senate Committee: 5/5/25
• Voted on by Senate: 5/7/25
• Out of House Committee: 5/24/25

Caption

Relating to solicitations for the retrieval of certain documents from the secretary of state; providing a civil penalty.

Summary

SB 2690 would regulate solicitations by private, nongovernmental entities that offer to retrieve certain business-related documents from the Texas secretary of state. The bill defines “business certification document” to include documents filed under Chapter 4 of the Business Organizations Code, as well as documents issued by the secretary of state confirming a filing or the existence of a business organization. The bill requires clear consumer-style disclosures in both written and oral solicitations. Mail solicitations must prominently state, in specified formatting and in English, Spanish, and any other language used in the solicitation, that the notice is not from a governmental entity and that the documents can be obtained directly from the secretary of state. Telephone and in-person solicitations must give a similar disclaimer at the start of the solicitation and again before payment is accepted, in the same language used for the solicitation and in a clear, slow manner. The bill also creates a complaint and enforcement process through the secretary of state, with possible referral to the attorney general.

Impact

SB 2690 would add a new subchapter to Chapter 17 of the Business & Commerce Code, creating state-law disclosure requirements for private solicitations related to business certification documents. It would also authorize the secretary of state to investigate complaints and refer matters to the attorney general, while allowing the attorney general or local prosecutors to seek civil penalties of up to $500 per violation. The bill applies only to solicitations made on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025, and would affect businesses or individuals that market document-retrieval services to Texas business owners.

Sentiment

The available legislative record suggests the bill moved without recorded opposition in the provided vote history, and there are no committee transcript excerpts showing debate. Its placement on the General State Calendar and passage through third reading indicate procedural advancement, with no visible signs of controversy in the supplied materials. Overall, the bill appears to have been treated as a consumer-protection and transparency measure rather than a highly contentious proposal.

Contention

The main policy issue is whether private companies that solicit business owners for document retrieval should be required to make prominent, repeated disclosures that they are not government entities and that the documents can be obtained directly from the secretary of state. Supporters would likely view the bill as preventing confusion or misleading marketing, especially for small businesses and non-English speakers. Any potential concern would center on the compliance burden for legitimate service providers and whether the $500-per-solicitation penalty and enforcement authority are sufficiently broad, but no explicit opposition is reflected in the provided record.