Bill Text: TX SB344 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the use of electronic signatures that employ blockchain or distributed ledger technology in certain business or governmental transactions.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-06 - Co-author authorized [SB344 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB344-Introduced.html
| 87R1812 JES-D | ||
| By: Paxton | S.B. No. 344 | |
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| relating to the use of electronic signatures that employ blockchain | ||
| or distributed ledger technology in certain business or | ||
| governmental transactions. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 322.002(8), Business & Commerce Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (8) "Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, | ||
| symbol, or process, including one that employs blockchain or | ||
| distributed ledger technology, attached to or logically associated | ||
| with a record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to | ||
| sign the record. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 322.017, Business & Commerce Code, is | ||
| amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection | ||
| (d) to read as follows: | ||
| (a) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (d) or | ||
| Section 322.012(f), each state agency shall determine whether, and | ||
| the extent to which, the agency will send and accept electronic | ||
| records and electronic signatures to and from other persons and | ||
| otherwise create, generate, communicate, store, process, use, and | ||
| rely upon electronic records and electronic signatures. | ||
| (c) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (d) or | ||
| Section 322.012(f), this chapter does not require a governmental | ||
| agency of this state to use or permit the use of electronic records | ||
| or electronic signatures. | ||
| (d) A governmental agency of this state must accept valid | ||
| electronic signatures. An electronic signature that employs | ||
| blockchain or distributed ledger technology is a valid electronic | ||
| signature for: | ||
| (1) the issuance of an apostille by the secretary of | ||
| state, if the apostille may be signed using an electronic | ||
| signature; or | ||
| (2) a contract entered into by a governmental agency | ||
| of this state. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
