New Texas Law Forbids Denial of Credit to ID Theft Victims

On May 20 the Governor of Texas signed Senate bill 99, which forbids denial of credit to a person because they have been a victim of identity theft.

The law states:

"A person who has been notified that an individual . . . has been the victim of identity theft may not deny the individual an extension of credit, including a loan, in the individual's name or restrict or limit the credit extended solely because the individual has been a victim of identity theft."

"This subsection does not prohibit a person from denying an individual an extension of credit for a reason other than because the individual has been a victim of identity theft."

In the law the term "victim of identity theft" means an "individual who has filed a criminal complaint alleging the
commission of an offense."