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Bills · 2023-2024 Regular Session

SB 538

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: software security measures for text messages, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty. (FE)

Data processing — Privacy issues Telephone

  1. Introduced, stopped here
  2. Passes Senate, not reached
  3. Passes Assembly, not reached
  4. Governor signs, not reached
  5. Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires texting software providers to ensure certain encryption and

notification features when persons send or receive text messages. “Texting service

provider" is defined in the bill as an entity that provides software that comes

preloaded on a device, and any subsequent updates to the software, that enables the

device to send or receive a text message from U.S. telephone numbers capable of

sending or receiving a text message. The bill requires texting software providers to

ensure that text message data is encrypted and sent over a network that supports

the encryption, that media sent in the text message is sent and received in its original

quality without degradation, and that text message senders and receivers receive

real-time notifications that a person is typing a message to them and whether a sent

message has been read, if the users have enabled such functions on their devices.

What it would cost

Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs

Sponsors

Introduced by: James (R) , Tomczyk (R)

12 cosponsors

Dallman (R) , Dittrich (R) , Mursau (R) , O'Connor (R) , Ortiz-Velez (D) , Plumer (R) , Rettinger (R) , Schmidt (R) , Summerfield (R) , Swearingen (R) , Tittl (R) , Wichgers (R)

Full history

  1. Oct 16, 2023 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators James and Tomczyk; cosponsored by Representatives Dallman, Summerfield, Dittrich, Michalski, Mursau, O'Connor, Ortiz-Velez, Plumer, Rettinger, Schmidt, Swearingen, Tittl and Wichgers

  2. Oct 16, 2023 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Utilities and Technology

  3. Nov 8, 2023 · Senate

    Representative Michalski withdrawn as a cosponsor

  4. Dec 18, 2023 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Apr 15, 2024 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1