Texas House Bill HB 5249

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 3/14/25

Caption

Relating to the confidentiality of certain information maintained by state licensing agencies.

Summary

HB 5249 amends the Texas Government Code to expand and clarify the confidentiality of certain personal information held by state licensing agencies. The bill applies to information maintained by a governmental body covered by Section 552.003(1)(A)(i), including license applications and personal data tied to applicants, current license holders, and former license holders. Protected information includes home address, home telephone number, personal email address, Social Security number, date of birth, driver’s license number, state ID number, passport number, emergency contact information, and information made confidential under Section 552.136. The bill also clarifies that certain business-related information remains public, including an applicant’s or license holder’s name, license number, license status, business address, business telephone number, and business email address. It further authorizes licensing authorities to withhold confidential information without first seeking an attorney general ruling, and the bill takes effect September 1, 2025.

Impact

HB 5249 would broaden and standardize confidentiality protections for personal information in licensing records across affected state licensing agencies, limiting disclosure under the Public Information Act. It would affect applicants, current licensees, and former licensees by shielding additional categories of sensitive personal data while preserving public access to core professional and business-identifying information. The bill also reduces administrative burden by allowing licensing authorities to withhold covered information without requesting an attorney general decision.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript, vote tally, or recorded floor debate, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s subject matter and drafting, it appears to be a privacy-oriented administrative measure aimed at protecting personal information maintained by licensing agencies while maintaining transparency for business-related licensing details.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, based on the text alone, would likely involve the balance between privacy and public access, especially whether expanding confidentiality for license records could limit transparency or complicate public oversight. Another possible issue is the bill’s authorization for agencies to withhold information without an attorney general ruling, which could be viewed as streamlining administration by supporters and reducing independent review by critics.