By: Nelson S.B. No. 60
(Giddings)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to authorizing the placement of a security freeze on the
consumer file or other record created or maintained by a consumer
reporting agency regarding a person under 16 years of age.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 20, Business & Commerce Code, is amended
by adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER E. SECURITY FREEZE FOR CHILD
Sec. 20.21. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Protected consumer" means an individual who
resides in this state and is younger than 16 years of age at the time
a request for the placement of a security freeze is made.
(2) "Record," with respect to a protected consumer,
means a compilation of information identifying a protected consumer
created by a consumer reporting agency solely to comply with this
subchapter.
(3) "Representative" means a person who provides to a
consumer reporting agency sufficient proof of authority to act on
behalf of a protected consumer.
(4) "Security freeze," with respect to a protected
consumer, means:
(A) if a consumer reporting agency does not have
a consumer file pertaining to the protected consumer, a restriction
that:
(i) is placed on the protected consumer's
record in accordance with this subchapter; and
(ii) prohibits a consumer reporting agency
from releasing a consumer report relating to the extension of
credit involving the consumer's record without the express
authorization of the consumer's representative or the consumer, as
applicable; or
(B) if a consumer reporting agency has a consumer
file pertaining to the protected consumer, a restriction that:
(i) is placed on the protected consumer's
consumer report in accordance with this subchapter; and
(ii) except as otherwise provided by this
subchapter, prohibits a consumer reporting agency from releasing
the protected consumer's consumer report relating to the extension
of credit involving that consumer file, or any information derived
from the protected consumer's consumer report.
Sec. 20.22. APPLICABILITY; CONFLICT OF LAW. (a) This
subchapter does not apply to the use of a protected consumer's
consumer report or record by:
(1) a person administering a credit file monitoring
subscription service to which:
(A) the protected consumer has subscribed; or
(B) the representative of the protected consumer
has subscribed on behalf of the protected consumer;
(2) a person providing the protected consumer or the
protected consumer's representative with a copy of the protected
consumer's consumer report on request of the protected consumer or
the protected consumer's representative;
(3) a consumer reporting agency with respect to a
database or file that consists entirely of information concerning,
and is used solely for, one or more of the following:
(A) criminal history record information;
(B) personal loss history information;
(C) fraud prevention or detection;
(D) tenant screening; or
(E) employment screening; or
(4) an entity described by Section 20.038(11), (12),
or (13).
(b) To the extent of a conflict between a provision of this
subchapter relating to a protected consumer and another provision
of this chapter, this subchapter controls.
Sec. 20.23. PROOF OF AUTHORITY AND IDENTIFICATION.
(a) Documentation that shows a person has authority to act on
behalf of a protected consumer is considered sufficient proof of
authority for purposes of this subchapter, including:
(1) an order issued by a court; or
(2) a written, notarized statement signed by a
representative that expressly describes the authority of the
representative to act on behalf of a protected consumer.
(b) Information or documentation that identifies a
protected consumer or a representative of a protected consumer is
considered sufficient proof of identity for purposes of this
subchapter, including:
(1) a social security number or a copy of the social
security card issued by the United States Social Security
Administration;
(2) a certified or official copy of a birth
certificate issued by the entity authorized to issue the birth
certificate;
(3) a copy of a driver's license or identification card
issued by the Department of Public Safety; or
(4) any other government-issued identification.
Sec. 20.24. USE OF RECORD TO CONSIDER CREDITWORTHINESS OR
FOR OTHER PURPOSES PROHIBITED. A protected consumer's record may
not be created or used to consider the protected consumer's
creditworthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character,
general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living for
any purpose described by Section 20.01(4).
Sec. 20.25. REQUEST TO PLACE A SECURITY FREEZE; CREATION OF
RECORD. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a consumer
reporting agency shall place a security freeze on a protected
consumer's consumer file if:
(1) the consumer reporting agency receives a request
from the protected consumer's representative for the placement of
the security freeze as provided by this section; and
(2) the protected consumer's representative:
(A) submits the request to the consumer reporting
agency at the address or other point of contact of and in the manner
specified by the consumer reporting agency;
(B) provides to the consumer reporting agency
sufficient proof of identification of the protected consumer and
the representative;
(C) provides to the consumer reporting agency
sufficient proof of authority to act on behalf of the protected
consumer; and
(D) pays to the consumer reporting agency a fee
as provided by Section 20.29.
(b) If a consumer reporting agency does not have a consumer
file pertaining to a protected consumer when the consumer reporting
agency receives a request under Subsection (a) and if the
requirements of Subsection (a) are met, the consumer reporting
agency shall create a record for the protected consumer and place a
security freeze on the protected consumer's record.
(c) The consumer reporting agency shall place the security
freeze on the protected consumer's consumer file or record, as
applicable, not later than the 30th day after receiving a request
that meets the requirements of Subsection (a).
Sec. 20.26. RELEASE OF CONSUMER REPORT PROHIBITED. Unless
a security freeze on a protected consumer's consumer file or record
is removed under Section 20.28 or 20.30, a consumer reporting
agency may not release any consumer report relating to the
protected consumer, any information derived from the protected
consumer's consumer report, or any record created for the protected
consumer.
Sec. 20.27. PERIOD OF SECURITY FREEZE. A security freeze on
a protected consumer's consumer file or record remains in effect
until:
(1) the protected consumer or the protected consumer's
representative requests that the consumer reporting agency remove
the security freeze in accordance with Section 20.28; or
(2) a consumer reporting agency removes the security
freeze under Section 20.30.
Sec. 20.28. REMOVAL OF SECURITY FREEZE. (a) A protected
consumer or a protected consumer's representative may remove a
security freeze on a protected consumer's consumer file or record
if the protected consumer or representative:
(1) submits a request for the removal of the security
freeze to the consumer reporting agency at the address or other
point of contact of and in the manner specified by the consumer
reporting agency;
(2) provides to the consumer reporting agency:
(A) in the case of a request by the protected
consumer:
(i) sufficient proof of identification of
the protected consumer; and
(ii) proof that the sufficient proof of
authority for the protected consumer's representative to act on
behalf of the protected consumer is no longer valid; or
(B) in the case of a request by the
representative of a protected consumer:
(i) sufficient proof of identification of
the protected consumer and the representative; and
(ii) sufficient proof of authority to act
on behalf of the protected consumer; and
(3) pays to the consumer reporting agency a fee as
provided by Section 20.29.
(b) The consumer reporting agency shall remove the security
freeze on the protected consumer's consumer file or record not
later than the 30th day after the date the agency receives a request
that meets the requirements of Subsection (a).
Sec. 20.29. FEES. (a) A consumer reporting agency may not
charge a fee for any service performed under this subchapter other
than a fee authorized by this section.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a consumer
reporting agency may charge a reasonable fee in an amount not to
exceed $10 for each placement or removal of a security freeze on the
protected consumer's consumer file or record.
(c) A consumer reporting agency may not charge a fee for the
placement of a security freeze under this subchapter if:
(1) the protected consumer's representative submits to
the consumer reporting agency a copy of a valid police report,
investigative report, or complaint involving the commission of an
offense under Section 32.51, Penal Code; or
(2) at the time the protected consumer's
representative makes the request for a security freeze:
(A) the protected consumer is under the age of
16; and
(B) the consumer reporting agency has created a
consumer report pertaining to the protected consumer.
Sec. 20.30. EFFECT OF MATERIAL MISREPRESENTATION OF FACT.
A consumer reporting agency may remove a security freeze on a
protected consumer's consumer file or record, or delete a record of
a protected consumer, if the security freeze was placed or the
record was created based on a material misrepresentation of fact by
the protected consumer or the protected consumer's representative.
Sec. 20.31. REMEDY FOR VIOLATION. Notwithstanding
Subchapter D or any other law, the exclusive remedy for a violation
of this subchapter is a suit filed by the attorney general under
Section 20.11.
SECTION 2. Sections 20.01, 20.02, 20.021, and 20.03,
Business & Commerce Code, are designated as Subchapter A, Chapter
20, Business & Commerce Code, and a heading is added to that
subchapter to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
SECTION 3. Sections 20.031, 20.032, 20.033, 20.034, 20.035,
20.036, 20.037, 20.038, 20.0385, and 20.039, Business & Commerce
Code, are designated as Subchapter B, Chapter 20, Business &
Commerce Code, and a heading is added to that subchapter to read as
follows:
SUBCHAPTER B. SECURITY ALERT AND SECURITY FREEZE
SECTION 4. Sections 20.04, 20.05, 20.06, and 20.07,
Business & Commerce Code, are designated as Subchapter C, Chapter
20, Business & Commerce Code, and a heading is added to that
subchapter to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER C. RESTRICTIONS ON AND AUTHORITY OF CONSUMERS AND
CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES
SECTION 5. Sections 20.08, 20.09, 20.10, 20.11, 20.12, and
20.13, Business & Commerce Code, are designated as Subchapter D,
Chapter 20, Business & Commerce Code, and a heading is added to that
subchapter to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER D. ENFORCEMENT
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect January 1, 2014.