HB4350

HB4350 extends a written-request process for removing certain personal details from county clerks’ public online real-property databases to peace officers described by Code of Criminal Procedure Article 2A.001 and people with powers or authority under Article 2A.002. The latter category includes specified federal investigators and other specially authorized personnel; it is not a blanket category for every federal employee.

On receiving a qualifying written request, the clerk must omit or redact the person’s Social Security number, driver’s-license number and residence address from covered instruments available in the clerk’s online database or a database operated by a county-contracted provider. The existing law defines an instrument broadly to include deeds, deeds of trust and other recorded real-property documents, including mineral leases and mechanics’ liens.

The preexisting protection for specified judges, U.S. marshals, U.S. attorneys and their defined family members remains. The family-member language still refers to those previously listed officials; HB4350 does not expressly add all peace officers’ or investigators’ relatives as a new family category. The incorporated definition covers a spouse, minor child or adult child living in the person’s home.

A clerk or contracted provider making these redactions must display a clear and conspicuous website notice stating that state law requires information to be redacted from certain instruments and that the online database is not the official repository and may not show complete or unaltered official records. This is online redaction, not cancellation of a deed, elimination of the underlying property record or a general rule making every covered instrument secret.

The law took effect June 20, 2025, immediately upon the governor’s signature after the required legislative votes—not September 1.