Texas Data Privacy Laws for Small Businesses in North Texas

In the fast-paced world of small business in North Texas, IT challenges can feel overwhelming. Texas data privacy laws for small businesses add pressure fast, especially when you’re also managing cybersecurity, vendors, and day-to-day operations.

Many companies get caught off-guard by outdated software, unreliable data handling, and compliance gaps that drain time and money. The good news: you don’t have to figure this out alone.

RZR Solutions helps North Texas businesses reduce risk, improve controls, and build a clear compliance plan. Below is the essential information you need to understand Texas privacy obligations, consumer expectations, and breach notification rules.

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Overview of Texas Data Privacy Laws for Small Businesses

Texas privacy rules come from two major areas: (1) Texas breach and identity-theft rules in the Business & Commerce Code, and (2) Texas’s broader consumer privacy law.

Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA)

Texas’s comprehensive consumer privacy law is the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA). It became effective July 1, 2024 and gives Texas residents rights over their personal data. It also sets requirements for certain businesses that process consumer personal data.

Texas Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act (ITEPA)

Texas also enforces security safeguards and breach notice duties under the Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act (ITEPA) in Business & Commerce Code Chapter 521. It requires reasonable safeguards and breach notifications when sensitive personal information is compromised.

For small businesses, the takeaway is simple: you need documented safeguards, clear data handling practices, and a breach-ready plan.

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Consumer Rights Under Texas Law

Consumer privacy expectations are rising. Under the TDPSA, Texans have important rights related to their personal data, including access, correction, deletion, and opt-out options for certain processing activities.

What this means for North Texas businesses

If your business is covered by the TDPSA, you need processes to respond to consumer requests. That usually requires:

• A clear privacy notice
• A way to receive and verify requests
• Internal steps to pull, correct, or delete data
• Controls over sharing, selling, and targeted advertising workflows

RZR Solutions can help you map where data lives, who touches it, and what needs to change to stay compliant.

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Business Compliance Requirements

For covered businesses, privacy compliance is not just “post a policy and move on.” It’s operational. It includes controls, documentation, and security practices that hold up under scrutiny.

Core controls small businesses should implement

• Data inventory: Know what you collect, where it’s stored, and who can access it.
• Access control: Limit access by role and enforce MFA where possible.
• Security safeguards: Patch management, endpoint protection, email security, and monitoring.
• Vendor management: Know which vendors handle data and what they’re allowed to do.
• Retention rules: Keep data only as long as needed, then dispose of it securely.

If you’re unsure where to start, RZR Solutions can run a privacy-and-security assessment and build a practical roadmap.

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Data Breach Notification Rules

Texas has specific breach notification rules under Business & Commerce Code Chapter 521. If sensitive personal information is compromised, you must notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay. Texas also has a hard outer deadline: no later than 60 days after determining a breach occurred.

When the Texas Attorney General must be notified

If the breach affects 250 or more Texas residents, the organization must also report the breach to the Texas Attorney General.

RZR Solutions helps businesses prepare incident response plans, logging, and recovery workflows so you can act fast and reduce downtime.

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Conclusion

Texas data privacy laws for small businesses are not optional if you handle personal data. You need safeguards, processes, and a plan for consumer requests and breach response.

If you want this handled the right way, RZR Solutions can assess your current posture and implement a clear compliance roadmap.

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