Relating to the disclosure of certain harvest report information submitted to the Parks and Wildlife Department.

Contracts

• TPWD Data Agreements: Businesses requiring raw data (consultants, researchers) must negotiate and execute a contract with TPWD specifically authorizing access for "research, analysis, or another activity."
• Downstream Client Agreements: If you sell analytics or mapping products derived from TPWD harvest reports, review your service agreements. You may need to invoke force majeure clauses or amend deliverables if you cannot secure a TPWD contract by September 1.
• NDAs: Any entity granted access must sign a mandatory Nondisclosure Agreement with TPWD.

Hiring/Training

• Data Handling Protocols: Staff accessing this data under contract must be trained on strict confidentiality. This data is no longer public record; leaking it is now a breach of contract and potentially actionable.
• Segregation of Duties: IT teams must segregate TPWD harvest data from public-facing commercial datasets to prevent accidental publication.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Data Contributors (Landowners/Outfitters): No change to submission forms. You will continue to report harvest data as required by Chapters 42, 46, 50, and 71.
• Data Consumers: You must maintain auditable records of who accesses the restricted data within your organization to comply with the state-mandated NDA.

Fees & Costs

• Legal & Administrative: Budget for legal counsel to negotiate the data access contract and NDA with TPWD.
• Operational: No new state fees are imposed, but the "free" pipeline of data via Open Records requests is eliminated.