Relating to the confidentiality of information used to prevent, detect, respond to, or investigate a hostile act of a foreign adversary of the United States.
HB 4711 expands and updates Texas confidentiality protections for certain government-held security and emergency-preparedness information. The bill amends multiple provisions in Government Code Chapter 418 to make clear that information collected, assembled, or maintained by or for a governmental entity for the purpose of preventing, detecting, responding to, or investigating terrorism, related criminal activity, or a hostile act by a foreign adversary is confidential when it concerns emergency response staffing, tactical plans, pager and phone numbers, risk and vulnerability assessments, encryption codes and security keys, reports to federal agencies, critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, and security system specifications, operating procedures, locations, access codes, and passwords.
The bill also broadens existing language by adding references to hostile acts by a foreign adversary of the United States throughout the confidentiality provisions. In practice, this would strengthen the legal basis for withholding sensitive public-safety and infrastructure-security records from disclosure under Texas public information law when those records are tied to foreign adversary threats, while preserving the existing framework for terrorism-related confidentiality. The bill takes effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in each chamber; otherwise, it takes effect September 1, 2025.
HB 4711 would amend Texas Government Code Sections 418.176, 418.177, 418.179, 418.180, 418.181, and 418.182 to expand the scope of confidential homeland security information. It would affect governmental entities, emergency response providers, law enforcement, fire and emergency services agencies, and entities responsible for critical infrastructure or security systems by shielding additional categories of sensitive information from public release under the Public Information Act.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill text and committee referral, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and security bill, likely intended to receive support from homeland security and law enforcement interests. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the provided context suggests the bill was at an early stage of consideration when last reported.
The main policy issue is the balance between transparency and security. Supporters would likely argue that expanding confidentiality is necessary to protect emergency response plans, infrastructure vulnerabilities, encryption details, and other sensitive information from misuse by hostile foreign actors. Potential critics could raise concerns that the bill broadens secrecy in ways that may limit public oversight, especially because it extends confidentiality to a wide range of records already covered by terrorism-related exemptions and adds the newer category of foreign adversary threats. No specific individuals or groups are identified in the provided materials as taking either side.