| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Neutral | Positive | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
Relating to the prosecution of the offense of fraudulent use or
possession of identifying information.
No fiscal impact to the state is anticipated.
HB 2697 addresses the abusive practice of coerced debt which is defined by some interested parties as "non-consensual, credit-related transactions that occur in intimate relationships where one partner uses coercive control to dominate the other."
Current law related to identity theft prohibits a person from obtaining or using using another person's identifying information without the person's consent. HB 2697 would add "or effective consent" to broaden the statutory definition of identity theft in order to make it applicable to coerced debt.
Texas Action supports HB 2697 because it promotes property rights for victims of coerced debt and creates legal accountability for people who use coerced debt to manipulate and victimize others.