TX, US · AI law tracker
HB4516 — TX, US
HB4516 is an AI governance legislation from TX, currently introduced. A Texas bill proposes prohibiting Chinese technology for sensitive data and establishing a related criminal offense [1]. AIGI tracks 1 primary-source update on this bill; the most recent was published on 2025-04-03.
Status & timeline
- Regulatory stage
- introduced
- Bill status
- Referred to State Affairs
- Authority / governing body
- Texas Legislature
- Chamber
- house
- Document type
- legislation
Next deadline: No fixed deadline — currently in legislative review, not yet effective.
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Full obligation matrix
| Actor | Obligation | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| other | Any person or entity must not use technology from the People's Republic of China to collect, process, transfer, or store biometric, genetic, or medical data. | Upon enactment | — |
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Enforcement risk score
Announced regulation; enforcement footprint still forming.
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Role-based compliance checklist
- general_counsel Monitor the legislative progress of HB4516 in the Texas Legislature. (Ongoing)
- compliance_officer Initiate an internal review of all technologies used for handling biometric, genetic, or medical data to identify country of origin. (Upon bill enactment or serious progression)
- ciso Assess the potential impact on data processing infrastructure and vendor relationships if Chinese technology is prohibited. (Upon bill enactment or serious progression)
- board_director Understand the strategic and operational risks associated with current technology dependencies and potential future prohibitions. (Upon bill enactment or serious progression)
Subscriber only
Vendor impact assessment
- Vendor risk class
- critical
- Procurement categories
- healthcare_ai, security_tooling, infrastructure, other
Vendors providing data processing, storage, or biometric/genetic analysis solutions, especially those operating in healthcare or with sensitive personal data, will face high scrutiny regarding the origin of their technology stack. Non-compliant vendors may be ineligible for contracts with Texas entities.
Sample vendor questions
- What is the country of origin for all hardware and software components used in your data collection, processing, transfer, or storage solutions?
- Do any of your technologies or their underlying components originate from the People's Republic of China?
- How do you verify the supply chain integrity and origin of your technology solutions, particularly for sensitive data handling?
- What contingency plans do you have in place for replacing technology from prohibited countries, especially for biometric, genetic, or medical data processing?
Intelligence briefs (1)
Texas HB4516: Prohibiting Chinese Tech for Sensitive Data
A Texas bill proposes prohibiting Chinese technology for sensitive data and establishing a related criminal offense [1].
This signals a potential expansion of data sovereignty and national security concerns into AI governance and data handling in Texas.
Deadline: No fixed deadline — currently in legislative review, not yet effective.
Primary source →Frequently asked questions
- What is HB4516?
- Texas House Bill 4516 proposes to prohibit the use of Chinese technology for the collection, processing, transfer, or storage of biometric, genetic, or medical data [1]. The bill also seeks to establish a new criminal offense associated with such usage [1]. Currently, the proposed legislation has been referred to the State Affairs committee [2], indicating it is in the early stages of the legislative process. Primary source →
- Why does HB4516 matter?
- This signals a potential expansion of data sovereignty and national security concerns into AI governance and data handling in Texas. Primary source →
- Who does HB4516 affect?
- Organizations operating in Texas that handle biometric, genetic, or medical data are within scope, particularly those leveraging AI systems for processing or storage. This includes healthcare providers, genetic testing services, and entities utilizing biometric identification systems. Deployers using technology vendors with connections to China for these sensitive data types would be directly affected by the proposed prohibition. Primary source →
- What are the key dates for HB4516?
- No fixed deadline — currently in legislative review, not yet effective. Primary source →
- What is the current status of HB4516?
- As of the last published update, HB4516 is at the "introduced" stage, with bill status "Referred to State Affairs". Primary source →
- Where can I find the primary source for HB4516?
- The primary source for the most recent update is at https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB4516. AIGI publishes the full citation chain plus every approved brief on this bill. Primary source →
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