Committee hears bill to make confidentiality automatic for protective‑order applicants' contact information

Senate Bill 1807 would require courts to grant confidentiality for certain personal contact information for applicants for protective orders and adult members of family or household, even when that information changes.

Senator Dean Safferney, the bill’s author, said the measure is a companion to House Bill 793 and summarized the provision: “This bill would require courts to grant confidentiality requests from an applicant or an adult member of a family or household regarding the person's address, county of residence, telephone number, and other personal contact information, even when this information changes.”

Sam Colletti, a board‑certified family law attorney representing the Texas Family Law Foundation, testified in support and said the current law gives trial judges discretion to keep an applicant’s address confidential but does not require it. Colletti said the bill would correct that gap by making confidentiality mandatory and that the change supports survivors of domestic violence and access to justice.

The committee opened public testimony, heard Colletti, and closed public testimony. No committee vote was taken; SB 1807 was left pending.

The transcript records limited back‑and‑forth; the bill was presented as a narrow procedural change to ensure victims’ safety and privacy through mandatory confidentiality of contact details when a protective order is sought.