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Texas allows couples filing informal marriage declarations to request confidentiality for personal details
Original title: Relating to the confidentiality of certain information on a declaration of informal marriage.
Last action · June 20, 2025: Effective on 9/1/25Sponsors: Christian Manuel and 4 others
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law
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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.
What This Bill Does
Texas law now allows individuals filing a to check a box keeping their personal identifying information confidential, starting September 1, 2025. When requested, county clerks and the are prohibited from publicly publishing or releasing this restricted information to anyone other than the named parties or their legal representatives.
Why it matters
Couples registering a common-law marriage can shield sensitive personal data like addresses and social security numbers from public record requests, while public record access remains restricted exclusively to the spouses or their legal counsel.
Background
- Informal marriages, commonly known as common-law marriages, are legally recognized marriages in Texas that do not require a formal ceremony or marriage license, though couples can file a declaration and registration with the county clerk. context
- Prior to this legislation, information contained in marriage declarations was generally accessible to the public through county clerk records and state vital statistics. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Directly affected
Couples executing a declaration of informal marriage
Spouses entering into an informal marriage gain the option to keep their personally identifying information confidential from public records.
Directly affected
County clerks
County clerks must withhold restricted personal information on informal marriage declarations from public publication and unauthorized release.
Directly affected
Vital statistics unit
The vital statistics unit is prohibited from furnishing personally identifying information relating to confidential informal marriages to anyone other than the spouses or their legal representatives.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can request confidentiality on an informal marriage declaration?
Either party to a can check a box on the form to request that their identifying information be kept confidential.
What information remains public if a couple requests confidentiality?
Only the names of the parties may still be released or published; other personally identifying information is withheld from the public.
Who is allowed to obtain a full, unredacted copy of a confidential informal marriage declaration?
Unredacted copies may only be released to a party named on the declaration or that party's legal representative.
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
54 actions- Jun 20, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolledEffective on 9/1/25
- Jun 20, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolledSigned by the Governor
- May 22, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolledSent to the Governor
- May 21, 2025SenateSigned in the Senate
- May 21, 2025HouseSigned in the House
- May 20, 2025HouseReported enrolled
Show 48 earlier actions
- May 20, 2025HouseSenate passage reported
- May 19, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- May 19, 2025SenateFloorPassed
- May 19, 2025SenateFloorRead 3rd time
- May 19, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- May 19, 2025SenateThree day rule suspended
- May 19, 2025SenateVote recorded in Journal
- May 19, 2025SenateFloorRead 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
- May 19, 2025SenateRules suspended-Regular order of business
- May 19, 2025SenatePlaced on intent calendar
- May 15, 2025SenateCommittee report printed and distributed
- May 15, 2025SenateRecommended for local & uncontested calendar
- May 15, 2025SenateCommitteeReported favorably w/o amendments
- May 14, 2025SenateVote taken in committee
- May 14, 2025SenateConsidered in public hearing
- May 14, 2025SenateScheduled for public hearing on . . .
- May 5, 2025SenateCommitteeReferred to Jurisprudence
- May 5, 2025SenateIntroducedRead first time
- May 5, 2025SenateReceived from the House
- May 2, 2025HouseReported engrossed
- May 2, 2025HouseStatement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
- May 2, 2025HouseFloorRecord vote (RV#1304)
- May 2, 2025HouseFloorPassed
- May 2, 2025HouseFloorRead 3rd time
- May 1, 2025HouseStatement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
- May 1, 2025HouseFloorRecord vote (RV#1199)
- May 1, 2025HouseFloorPassed to engrossment
- May 1, 2025HouseFloorRead 2nd time
- May 1, 2025HousePlaced on General State Calendar
- Apr 28, 2025HouseConsidered in Calendars
- Apr 25, 2025HouseCommittee report sent to Calendars
- Apr 23, 2025HouseCommittee report distributed
- Apr 23, 2025HouseComte report filed with Committee Coordinator
- Apr 14, 2025HouseCommitteeReported favorably as substituted
- Apr 14, 2025HouseCommittee substitute considered in committee
- Apr 14, 2025HouseConsidered in formal meeting
- Apr 8, 2025HouseLeft pending in committee
- Apr 8, 2025HouseCommittee substitute considered in committee
- Apr 8, 2025HouseConsidered in formal meeting
- Apr 8, 2025HouseRecalled from subcommittee
- Mar 24, 2025HouseLeft pending in subcommittee
- Mar 24, 2025HouseTestimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
- Mar 24, 2025HouseCommittee substitute considered in s/c
- Mar 24, 2025HouseConsidered by s/c in public hearing
- Mar 24, 2025HouseScheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
- Mar 7, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to s/c on Family & Fiduciary Relationships by Speaker
- Mar 7, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time
- Nov 12, 2024HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Voting Record
HB 1193 was passed
Total
137
- Yes
- 116
- No
- 12
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 9
How they voted (137)
Gina HinojosaParty not recordedyes
John LujanParty not recordedyes
Senfronia ThompsonParty not recordedyes
Stan GerdesParty not recordedyes
Brad BuckleyParty not recordedyes
Ramon RomeroParty not recordedyes
Mihaela PleșaParty not recordedyes
Brent MoneyParty not recordedno
Toni RoseParty not recordedyes
Mary GonzálezParty not recordedyes
Mark DorazioParty not recordedyes
Tom CraddickParty not recordedyes
Mike OlcottParty not recordedno
Barbara Gervin-HawkinsParty not recordedyes
Suleman LalaniParty not recordedyes
Mando MartinezParty not recordedyes
Bobby GuerraParty not recordedyes
Helen KerwinParty not recordedyes
Tom OliversonParty not recordedyes
Rhetta BowersParty not recordedyes
James FrankParty not recordedyes
John McQueeneyParty not recordedyes
Joe MoodyParty not recordedyes
Jared PattersonParty not recordedyes
113 more members
Sergio MuñozParty not recordedexcused
Armando WalleParty not recordedyes
Jeff BarryParty not recordedyes
Jon RosenthalParty not recordedyes
Shelby SlawsonParty not recordedyes
Charles CunninghamParty not recordedyes
Hubert VoParty not recordedyes
Ron ReynoldsParty not recordedyes
Valoree SwansonParty not recordedyes
Tony TinderholtParty not recordedno
Candy NobleParty not recordedyes
Pat CurryParty not recordedyes
Ward JohnsonParty not recordedyes
Briscoe CainParty not recordedno
Ken KingParty not recordedyes
Diego BernalParty not recordedyes
Don McLaughlinParty not recordedexcused
Wes VirdellParty not recordedyes
Janis HoltParty not recordedexcused
Vikki GoodwinParty not recordedyes
Salman BhojaniParty not recordedyes
Sheryl ColeParty not recordedyes
Nicole CollierParty not recordedexcused
Cecil BellParty not recordedyes
Donna HowardParty not recordedyes
Dennis PaulParty not recordedyes
Drew DarbyParty not recordedyes
Harris DavilaParty not recordedyes
Trey WhartonParty not recordedyes
Lauren SimmonsParty not recordedyes
Carl TepperParty not recordedyes
Keresa RichardsonParty not recordedyes
Charlie GerenParty not recordedyes
Cole HefnerParty not recordedyes
Lulu FloresParty not recordedyes
John BucyParty not recordedyes
A.J. LouderbackParty not recordedyes
Giovanni CapriglioneParty not recordedyes
Martinez FischerParty not recordedexcused
Jeff LeachParty not recordedyes
Hillary HicklandParty not recordedyes
David LoweParty not recordedno
Erin GámezParty not recordedyes
Rafael AnchíaParty not recordedyes
Mano DeAyalaParty not recordedyes
Harold DuttonParty not recordedyes
Cas Garcia HernandezParty not recordedyes
Jessica GonzálezParty not recordedyes
Yvonne DavisParty not recordedyes
Linda GarciaParty not recordedyes
Gary GatesParty not recordedyes
Josey GarciaParty not recordedyes
Chris TurnerParty not recordedyes
John SmitheeParty not recordedyes
Stan KitzmanParty not recordedyes
Angie ButtonParty not recordedyes
Katrina PiersonParty not recordedno
Jay DeanParty not recordedyes
Ben BumgarnerParty not recordedyes
Terry MezaParty not recordedyes
Eddie MoralesParty not recordedyes
Erin ZwienerParty not recordedyes
Shelley LutherParty not recordedno
Stan LambertParty not recordedyes
Will MetcalfParty not recordedyes
Brian HarrisonParty not recordedno
Ryan GuillenParty not recordedyes
Rodríguez RamosParty not recordedyes
Joanne ShofnerParty not recordedyes
Christian ManuelParty not recordedyes
Steve TothParty not recordedno
Keith BellParty not recordedyes
Morgan MeyerParty not recordedyes
Leo WilsonParty not recordedno
Paul DysonParty not recordedyes
Carrie IsaacParty not recordedyes
Oscar LongoriaParty not recordedyes
David CookParty not recordedyes
James TalaricoParty not recordedyes
Daniel AldersParty not recordedyes
Andy HopperParty not recordedno
Claudia OrdazParty not recordedyes
Brooks LandgrafParty not recordedyes
Morales ShawParty not recordedyes
Aicha DavisParty not recordedyes
Vince PerezParty not recordedyes
Matt MorganParty not recordedyes
Sam HarlessParty not recordedyes
John BryantParty not recordedyes
Trent AshbyParty not recordedyes
Denise VillalobosParty not recordedyes
Janie LopezParty not recordedyes
Marc LaHoodParty not recordedexcused
Terry WilsonParty not recordedyes
Alma AllenParty not recordedyes
Greg BonnenParty not recordedyes
Todd HunterParty not recordedyes
Liz CamposParty not recordedexcused
Ellen TroxclairParty not recordedyes
Philip CortezParty not recordedyes
Christina MoralesParty not recordedexcused
Richard RaymondParty not recordedyes
Cody HarrisParty not recordedyes
Venton JonesParty not recordedyes
Richard HayesParty not recordedyes
Terry CanalesParty not recordedexcused
David SpillerParty not recordedyes
Gene WuParty not recordedyes
Mary Ann PerezParty not recordedyes
Cody VasutParty not recordedyes
Lacey HullParty not recordedyes
Mitch LittleParty not recordedno
J.M. LozanoParty not recordedyes
Show 1 earlier roll call
CSHB 1193 was passed to engrossment
Total
139
- Yes
- 136
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 1
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 2
How they voted (139)
Eddie MoralesParty not recordedyes
David LoweParty not recordedyes
Marc LaHoodParty not recordedyes
Janie LopezParty not recordedyes
Greg BonnenParty not recordedyes
Senfronia ThompsonParty not recordedyes
Paul DysonParty not recordedyes
Giovanni CapriglioneParty not recordedyes
Jessica GonzálezParty not recordedyes
Jay DeanParty not recordedyes
Ken KingParty not recordedyes
Linda GarciaParty not recordedyes
Alan SchoolcraftParty not recordedyes
Jeff LeachParty not recordedyes
Trey WhartonParty not recordedyes
Donna HowardParty not recordedyes
Ramon RomeroParty not recordedyes
Chris TurnerParty not recordedyes
Nicole CollierParty not recordedyes
Brad BuckleyParty not recordedyes
Tom CraddickParty not recordedyes
Keresa RichardsonParty not recordedyes
Gary GatesParty not recordedyes
Cole HefnerParty not recordedyes
115 more members
John SmitheeParty not recordedyes
Aicha DavisParty not recordedyes
John BucyParty not recordedyes
Cecil BellParty not recordedyes
Jo JonesParty not recordedyes
Ron ReynoldsParty not recordedyes
Mano DeAyalaParty not recordedyes
Joe MoodyParty not recordedyes
Dennis PaulParty not recordedyes
Matt ShaheenParty not recordedyes
Candy NobleParty not recordedyes
Angie ButtonParty not recordedyes
Mary GonzálezParty not recordedyes
Rodríguez RamosParty not recordedyes
Mihaela PleșaParty not recordedyes
Shelley LutherParty not recordedyes
Gina HinojosaParty not recordedyes
Mark DorazioParty not recordedyes
Lulu FloresParty not recordedyes
Cody HarrisParty not recordedyes
Terry WilsonParty not recordedyes
Erin ZwienerParty not recordedyes
John LujanParty not recordedyes
Carrie IsaacParty not recordedyes
James FrankParty not recordedyes
Tony TinderholtParty not recordedyes
Yvonne DavisParty not recordedyes
Jon RosenthalParty not recordedyes
Leo WilsonParty not recordedyes
Harold DuttonParty not recordedyes
Brooks LandgrafParty not recordednot voting
Ryan GuillenParty not recordedyes
Mike OlcottParty not recordedyes
Morgan MeyerParty not recordedyes
J.M. LozanoParty not recordedyes
Sam HarlessParty not recordedyes
Brian HarrisonParty not recordedyes
Salman BhojaniParty not recordedyes
Valoree SwansonParty not recordedyes
Katrina PiersonParty not recordedyes
Morales ShawParty not recordedyes
Ben BumgarnerParty not recordedyes
Helen KerwinParty not recordedyes
Vince PerezParty not recordedyes
Richard RaymondParty not recordedyes
Mike SchofieldParty not recordedyes
Vikki GoodwinParty not recordedyes
Lauren SimmonsParty not recordedyes
Oscar LongoriaParty not recordedyes
Christian ManuelParty not recordedyes
Will MetcalfParty not recordedyes
Rhetta BowersParty not recordedyes
John BryantParty not recordedyes
Richard HayesParty not recordedyes
Shelby SlawsonParty not recordedyes
Janis HoltParty not recordedexcused
Mando MartinezParty not recordedyes
Stan LambertParty not recordedyes
Terry MezaParty not recordedyes
Venton JonesParty not recordedyes
Sergio MuñozParty not recordedyes
Barbara Gervin-HawkinsParty not recordedyes
Martinez FischerParty not recordedyes
Terry CanalesParty not recordedyes
Wes VirdellParty not recordedyes
Bobby GuerraParty not recordedyes
Don McLaughlinParty not recordedyes
Cody VasutParty not recordedyes
Ray LopezParty not recordedyes
Harris DavilaParty not recordedyes
Joanne ShofnerParty not recordedyes
Cas Garcia HernandezParty not recordedyes
Jared PattersonParty not recordedyes
Gene WuParty not recordedyes
James TalaricoParty not recordedexcused
Charles CunninghamParty not recordedyes
Brent MoneyParty not recordedyes
A.J. LouderbackParty not recordedyes
Keith BellParty not recordedyes
Stan GerdesParty not recordedyes
Sheryl ColeParty not recordedyes
Hubert VoParty not recordedyes
Hillary HicklandParty not recordedyes
Ward JohnsonParty not recordedyes
David CookParty not recordedyes
David SpillerParty not recordedyes
Steve TothParty not recordedyes
Charlie GerenParty not recordedyes
Philip CortezParty not recordedyes
Tom OliversonParty not recordedyes
Toni RoseParty not recordedyes
Ellen TroxclairParty not recordedyes
Pat CurryParty not recordedyes
John McQueeneyParty not recordedyes
Andy HopperParty not recordedyes
Briscoe CainParty not recordedyes
Alma AllenParty not recordedyes
Drew DarbyParty not recordedyes
Jeff BarryParty not recordedyes
Trent AshbyParty not recordedyes
Christina MoralesParty not recordedyes
Daniel AldersParty not recordedyes
Denise VillalobosParty not recordedyes
Erin GámezParty not recordedyes
Dade PhelanParty not recordedyes
Todd HunterParty not recordedyes
Claudia OrdazParty not recordedyes
Josey GarciaParty not recordedyes
Carl TepperParty not recordedyes
Lacey HullParty not recordedyes
Rafael AnchíaParty not recordedyes
Suleman LalaniParty not recordedyes
Matt MorganParty not recordedyes
Mary Ann PerezParty not recordedyes
Stan KitzmanParty not recordedyes
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
policy shift95% confidence
Introduction of Privacy Protections for Informal Marriages
The legislation establishes an explicit statutory mechanism allowing common-law spouses to shield personal data from public record requests, aligning informal marriage record privacy closer to traditional marriage records.
Connected Entities
otherHealth and Safety Code“Amended regarding vital statistics unit records and marriage information.”Map →
otherFamily Code“Amended to include informal marriage declaration requirements and confidentialit”Map →
Sources
Open source document
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy5Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment2Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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