On December 6, Lt. Governor David Dewhurst released interim charges related to protection of privacy. All interim charges were directed toward the Senate State Affairs Committee.
Surveillance
Examine options to protect Texas residents from a variety of governmental and commercial surveillance threats.
Study related measures that have been passed or proposed in other states.
Data Collections & Aggregation
Review the depth of personal data collected by governmental and commercial entities, make recommendations on how to minimize the collection of this data on citizens, and examine whether sufficient protections exist for DNA samples and information, including whether there should be a prohibition on the creation of DNA databases, except for felons and sex offenders.
Study related measures that have been passed or proposed in other states.
Transparency & Consent
Identify potential reforms that would increase the ability of citizens to understand the data being collected about them and with whom that data is being shared.
Study related measures that have been passed or proposed in other states.
Using Technology to Increase Government Transparency
Study the online legislative resources available to the public from Texas Senate Committee websites and compare resources to those provided by other state legislative committees in Texas and other states.
Dewhurst will continue to release interim charges in the coming weeks.
Use the links below to access all of Dewhurst’s interim charge releases:
Privacy Issues
Border Security Issues
Public Safety Issues
Economy Issues
Veterans’ Issues