“Bill To Crack Down On Car Warranty Scams In Texas Is A Blow To Transparency, Critics Say” – Houston Public Media
Senate Bill 15, which would limit public access to drivers’ records, has already passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House Transportation Committee.
by ANDREW SCHNEIDER in Houston Public Media
Joe Brueggeman/Houston Public Media
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A bill in the Texas legislature aimed at protecting drivers' privacy has public records experts worried it would instead limit legitimate access to public information.
Supporters of Senate Bill 15 say it's necessary to crack down on robocallers running car warranty scams. But John Collins, a Dallas-based attorney for PublicData.com, said the bill would hurt businesses, charities, and investigative journalists.
Public data can be used to stop things like identity theft, and is often used for background checks.
“There will be a large number of people who will be unable to access these records to identify customers, to help fight fraud, to get what in essence is now a public record,” Collins said.
SB 15 has passed the Senate and is awaiting action by the House Transportation Committee. State Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, who authored the bill, did not respond to a request for comment.
The bill is one of several in the Legislature this session that would limit access to public information. Senate Bill 16, for example, would restrict access to salary data for employees of state agencies, requiring the written consent of the employee before the agency disclosed the information.
SB 16 is still awaiting action in the Senate Finance Committee, though it appears to have broad bipartisan support.
