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HB3425

Regular Session

Relating to the prosecution of certain criminal offenses involving the unlawful disclosure of a residence address or telephone number.

Moderate
Low Cost
Effective:2025-06-20
HB3425
Relating to the prosecution of certain criminal offenses involving the unlawful disclosure of a residence address or telephone number.
Moderate Urgency
Passed with Opposition
House Vote139 - 4
YEA
97% in favor143 voting
Senate Vote31 - 0
YEA
100% in favor31 voting
4
Total Opposition Votes
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-06-20
Enforcing Agencies
District AttorneysLocal Law Enforcement
Primary Author: Rep. Giovanni Capriglione
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: June 20, 2025 (Immediate effect due to supermajority vote).
  • Compliance Deadline: June 20, 2025. You must be ready to process removal requests within 48 hours starting on this date.
  • Agency Rulemaking: None. This is a Penal Code amendment enforced by local prosecutors; no regulatory agency will issue clarifying rules or grace periods.

Immediate Action Plan

  • Configure Support Systems: Set up automated flagging for keywords (e.g., "remove," "safety," "police," "judge") in support tickets to bypass standard queues.
  • Establish Suppression Database: Build or configure a "Do Not Repost" list to scrub incoming data loads against prior removal requests.
  • Update Employee Handbooks: Issue a specific addendum regarding the criminal penalties for misuse of PII via company electronic resources.
  • Audit Automated Communications: Review automated collections or dispute resolution emails to ensure no PII is exposed in a manner that could be construed as harassment.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Employee Acceptable Use Policies (AUP): Update AUPs to explicitly prohibit the transmission of residence addresses or phone numbers via company systems (Slack, Teams, Email) with intent to harass or harm.
  • Data Vendor Agreements: Revise contracts with data providers to require indemnification if they supply data that was previously subject to a removal demand, causing you to inadvertently "repost" prohibited info.

Hiring/Training

  • Intake Training: Train Customer Support, Legal Intake, and HR staff to identify "safety/takedown" requests immediately. These cannot sit in a general queue over weekends; they require an expedited escalation path to meet the 48-hour statutory window.
  • HR Protocols: Ensure HR staff understands that "shaming" or disclosing PII of former employees or applicants via email can now carry criminal weight.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Takedown Demand Log: Create an immutable log recording the requester's status (public servant), receipt time, and removal time to refute presumptions of intent.
  • Suppression List: Maintain a "Do Not Repost" database. The law prohibits reposting the data for four years; you must ensure automated database updates do not overwrite manual removals.

Fees & Costs

  • Insurance Review: No new state fees. However, standard General Liability policies exclude criminal acts. Consult your broker regarding "Cyber" or "Media Liability" riders to cover defense costs if the company is named in a suit arising from an employee's unlawful disclosure.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • Verification of "Public Servant": The statute does not define the verification process for confirming a requester is a "public servant." Businesses risk liability if they delay removal to verify credentials. *Guidance: Treat all safety-based removal requests as valid and execute within 48 hours to mitigate risk.*
  • Scope of "Electronic Communication": The definition is tied to Penal Code 42.07 and is extremely broad. It is not limited to public posts. An internal email chain or group chat "doxing" an individual could trigger liability if discovered or leaked.

Need Help Understanding Implementation?

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Feb 26, 2025
Passed House
May 15, 2025
Passed Senate
May 27, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
TopicsCrimesCrimes--miscellaneousCriminal ProcedureCriminal Procedure--generalEmail & Electronic CommunicationsProtection of Personal Information
03

House Authors

Rep. Giovanni CapriglioneRepublican · Primary Author
Joint Authors

Senate Sponsor

Sen. Judith ZaffiriniDemocrat · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

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More from Rep. Giovanni Capriglione

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Related by Topic

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Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB3425

Q

What does Texas HB3425 do?

HB3425 immediately expands criminal liability for "doxing" beyond public websites to include any electronic communication (email, text, internal messaging) containing residence addresses or phone numbers with intent to harm. This creates significant operational risk for all businesses handling PII, particularly regarding data removal requests from public servants, which now trigger a strict 48-hour statutory deadline to avoid a presumption of criminal intent. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: June 20, 2025 (Immediate effect due to supermajority vote).

Q

Who authored HB3425?

HB3425 was authored by Texas Representative Giovanni Capriglione during the Regular Session.

Q

When was HB3425 signed into law?

HB3425 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce HB3425?

HB3425 is enforced by District Attorneys and Local Law Enforcement.

Q

How urgent is compliance with HB3425?

The compliance urgency for HB3425 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.

Q

What is the cost impact of HB3425?

The cost impact of HB3425 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does HB3425 address?

HB3425 addresses topics including crimes, crimes--miscellaneous, criminal procedure, criminal procedure--general and email & electronic communications.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025

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