Texas House Bill HB2961

Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Caption

Relating to the social security numbers of school district employees.

Impact

The introduction of HB2961 presents significant implications for state laws concerning the privacy of personal information held by governmental entities, particularly in the educational sector. By making the SSNs of school district employees confidential, the bill aims to mitigate the risks of identity theft and unauthorized access to personal data. This change aligns with broader legislative efforts to strengthen data privacy protections across various sectors, particularly in light of increasing concerns about cybersecurity and personal information protection.

Summary

HB2961 addresses the handling of social security numbers (SSNs) for school district employees in Texas. The bill amends the Government Code and the Education Code to enhance the privacy and protection of these sensitive identifiers. Notably, it prohibits school districts from requiring employees or former employees to disclose their SSNs publicly, thereby increasing confidentiality surrounding such information. Additionally, the bill mandates that the boards of trustees of independent school districts adopt policies to restrict the use of SSNs as employee identifiers, except for tax-related purposes.

Contention

While the bill achieved unanimous support in the House, with a vote tally of 144 in favor and none against, there may still be underlying discussions regarding the potential operational challenges for school districts in implementing these new policies. Some stakeholders might voice concerns over how restricting the use of SSNs could affect administrative processes or ease of access to employee information for legitimate administrative needs. However, the consensus indicates a strong commitment to enhancing the safeguarding of employee privacy as a priority.