Texas as America’s New Privacy Watchdog: What’s Next?

Tyler Bridegan, CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM, Former Director of Privacy and Tech Enforcement, Texas Attorney General’s Office; Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson
Ron De Jesus, AIGP, CIPP/A, CIPP/C, CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM, CIPT, FIP, Field Chief Privacy Officer, Transcend
Shelby Dolen, CIPP/US, Associate, Husch Blackwell

In January 2025, Texas’ Attorney General filed the state’s first privacy lawsuit against insurance giant Allstate, kicking off a cascade of enforcement moves and investigations that have cemented Texas’ role as America’s newest privacy watchdog. Hear a former official from the Texas AG’s office and two other privacy pros dissect the state’s privacy landscape to date, future enforcement priorities, and how Texas’ actions track with the current federal administration’s larger deregulatory agenda. The speakers will also discuss how Texas compares to other states with privacy agendas, and why privacy remains a bipartisan priority across the country.

What you will learn: 

• Why Texas assumed a new role as a state privacy watchdog role, even as a steadfast red state — and the national implications of this move given the federal administration’s deregulatory approach to technology.
• Where the Texas AG offices’ privacy priorities stand, and how companies with interests in the state can prepare for future enforcement actions.