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December 2, 2025

December 1, 2025 Harris County GOP Executive Committee Adopted Resolutions

Resolutions Passed at the December 1 Executive Committee Meeting

Restoration of Non-Biometric Access to Government and Private/Commercial Accounts and Services


1) Whereas, the United States government, in managing access to services and programs—such as IRS, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, DMV, and gun licensing—must not require citizens to provide or use biometric or biological data (including but not limited to facial, hand, finger, voice, eye, gait, or iris data);
2) Whereas, such requirements infringe upon personal privacy and bodily sovereignty and threaten the constitutional rights guaranteed to citizens;
3) Whereas, citizens lacking smartphones, reliable internet, or technical skill—particularly low-income, elderly, rural, or otherwise underserved Texans—are effectively disenfranchised when digital access hinges on biometric technology;
4) Whereas, centralized storage and use of biometric or “gait” data by government or its contractors exposes individuals to the risk of warrantless, continuous surveillance, unauthorized searches and seizures— whether through exploitation by government agencies or criminal actors, or compelled disclosure by private entities;
5) Whereas, the Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier (CUBI) Act, codified in Texas Business & Commerce Code § 503.001, prohibits capturing biometric identifiers (retina, iris, fingerprint, voiceprint, or face/hand geometry) for commercial purposes without notice and informed consent—and mandates destruction within a reasonable timeframe—subject to civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation;
6) Whereas, the 2025 Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA) reinforces that biometric identifiers cannot be passively captured—such as in online images—and extends CUBI’s protections to artificial intelligence systems;
7) Whereas, the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (effective July 1, 2024) defines biometric data as “sensitive data,” requiring affirmative consumer consent, and mandates transparency, data minimization, and non-discrimination for all data collection practices;
8) Whereas, at the federal level, the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a) restricts how federal agencies manage personally identifiable information, requiring consent for disclosure and providing rights to access and correct records;
9) Whereas, the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects against unreasonable searches and seizures—including digital and biometric surveillance—affirmed by Katz v. United States (1967) and Riley v. California (2014), which recognize that individuals retain privacy expectations in their digital and biometric data absent a warrant;
10) Whereas, biometric data collection and enforcement disproportionately harm those with limited or no access to high-tech devices, discriminating against Americans based on income, location, age, and digital literacy;
11) Whereas, for millennia prior to the widespread use of biometric technologies, all humans, including the American public, successfully accessed all government services using simple and accessible methods—such as Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, passwords, PINs, and in-person identification—without any form of biological surveillance or dependency on private biometric databases;

Resolved, that the Harris County Republican Party calls upon:
A. Texas’s Governor, Legislature, and Congressional delegation to demand that all U.S. federal and Texas state agencies immediately restore and continue to offer non-biometric access methods for all government accounts and services, including but not limited to IRS, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, DMV, and gun licensing systems;
B. That all public and private authentication and identity verification methods must remain as simple, accessible, and inclusive as they were prior to the implementation of biometric data collection—ensuring that no American is excluded due to lack of devices, digital knowledge, or technical access; and that while biometric methods may be offered as an optional secondary form of authentication, they must never be the sole or required means of access to any public service or private system;
C. That all biometric systems be strictly voluntary, with no coercion, reduction, or denial of service for any individual who refuses to participate in facial, fingerprint, voice, iris, gait, or other biometric or biological recognition systems; and that, in all cases, the collection or use of biometric data must be preceded by the individual’s specific, overt, and fully informed consent, granted freely for each separate instance in which such data is requested or processed;
D. That all instances of all previously collected biometric data by federal or state agencies, contractors, private entities, or third parties be permanently deleted, and that data not be shared with, sold to, or accessed by private or international entities;
E. That all citizens be guaranteed the right to use non-biometric, low-tech access methods, such as PINs, printed identification cards, and live, in-person or Notary verification to interact with any level of government or private entities;
F. That the storage, transmission, and access of biometric data—when used—be subject to strict judicial oversight, and that any remote, automated, or AI-enhanced surveillance using such data be explicitly prohibited unless authorized by a valid court-issued warrant under probable cause;
G. That Texas officials work to uphold and expand citizen protections established under the Texas Biometric Identifier Act, TRAIGA, the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, the Privacy Act of 1974, and the Fourth Amendment, by opposing any federal or international mandates which infringe upon the privacy and sovereignty of Texas residents.


Be it further resolved, that copies of this Resolution be sent within 10 days of its adoption to:
H. The Governor of Texas;
I. The Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Texas House;
J. All Republican members of the Texas Legislature;
K. All Texas Republican members of the U.S. Congress;
L. The Texas Attorney General, and;
M. Relevant Republican federal and state agency directors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be published on the Harris County Republican Party’s official website
within 10 days of its adoption.
Respectfully submitted to the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee,
— Adopted on December 1, 2025 by the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee —
Signed:

  1. Alma Lorena Barreno-Zertuche – PCT Chair:0882
  2. Eric Biersdorfer – PCT Chair:0751
  3. Bill Birkline – PCT Chair:0489
  4. Thomas Herman Herold – PCT Chair:0935
  5. Nicholas Hughes – PCT Chair:0266
  6. Glenn Jenkinson – PCT Chair:0092
  7. Shannon Mitchel – PCT Chair:0350
  8. Patricia Moore – PCT Chair:0483
  9. Charles Peyton rushing II – PCT Chair:0385
  10. Shayne Singer – PCT Chair:0200

RESOLUTION SETTING THE TIME AND PLACE FOR THE 2026 REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL DISTRICT CONVENTIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS

WHEREAS, the Texas Election Code (TEC)1 and the Rules of the Republican Party of Texas (RPT)2 address issues related to Senatorial District Conventions, and all such conventions held in this county are subject to these provisions3; now,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that all interested parties are hereby notified that individual Senatorial District Conventions for all Harris County State Senatorial Districts shall be held at the following locations on Saturday, March 28, 2026:

SD 4 Vera Brummet May Community Center, 2100 Wolf Rd., Huffman, TX 77336

SD 6 Living Hope Houston – Gulf Meadows Church, 8012 Fuqua St., Houston, TX 77075

SD 7 Glorious Way Church, 11611 Champion Forest Dr., Houston, TX 77066

SD 11 Living Hope Houston – Gulf Meadows Church, 8012 Fuqua St., Houston, TX 77075

SD 13 [To be determined by the Advisory Board]

SD 15 [To be determined by the Advisory Board]

SD 17 [To be determined by the Advisory Board]

SD 18 Glorious Way Church, 11611 Champion Forest Dr., Houston, TX 77066

Registration for each convention shall begin at 8:00 a.m. CDT, and the Call to Order in each Senatorial District shall be at 9:00 a.m. CDT; and   

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, if any of the above locations should become unavailable for Senatorial District Conventions on March 28, 2026, and provided that the Harris County Republican Party becomes aware of any such issue prior to March 6, 2026, then the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee explicitly delegates its authority under RPT Rule No. 27A to “set the hour and place for convening…Senatorial District Conventions” to the Advisory Board; and   

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Temporary Chairs of Senatorial District Conventions shall provide written notice of the time, date, and location of their Senatorial District Convention via USPS or electronic mail to every eligible delegate and alternate elected from the Precinct Conventions to their Senatorial District Convention; said written notice shall be postmarked or sent electronically no later than March 20, 2026; and   

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Chairman or her designee shall publicize the time, date, and location of the 2026 Senatorial District Conventions; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Chairman or her designee shall provide public notice of the hour and place for convening the individual Senatorial District Conventions on the Harris County Republican Party website or at the joint location on the bulletin board used for posting notice of meetings of the Commissioners Court.4

Footnotes:  

1 TEC Sec. 174.063 – Time and Place of Convention

2 Rules of the RPT Nos. 23-32 – General Rules for Senatorial District Conventions

3 TEC Sec. 174.061-174.069 – County and Senatorial District Conventions

4 TEC Sec. 174.064 – Notice of Hour and Place

Respectfully submitted,

HCRP Convention Committee

RESOLUTION SETTING THE TIME AND PLACE FOR 2026 REPUBLICAN PRECINCT CONVENTIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS

WHEREAS, the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) General Rules1 provide that the County Executive Committee or, in its failure to act, the County Chairman, shall designate a day for Precinct 

Conventions; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Precinct Conventions in Harris County, Texas:

  • Shall be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026; and  
  • Shall be called to order at 9:00 a.m. CST, or as soon as the precinct convention packet has been distributed to the Temporary Chairman of the precinct convention, whichever is later; and
  • Shall be held at the following locations, organized according to districts (HDs) for the Texas House of Representatives, with the specific election precinct assignments to be provided by the County Chairman or her designee:

HD 126 Glorious Way Church, 11611 Champion Forest Dr., Houston, TX 77066

HD 127 Kingwood Middle School, 2407 Pine Terrace Dr., Kingwood, TX 77339

HD 128 Crosby Community Center, 409 Hare Rd., Crosby, TX 77532

(Election precincts north of the Houston Ship Channel)

Central Baptist Church, Deer Park, 210 W. X St., Deer Park, TX 77536

(Election precincts south of the Houston Ship Channel)

HD 129 Central Baptist Church, Deer Park, 210 W. X St., Deer Park, TX 77536

HD 130 Spillane Middle School, 13403 Woods-Spillane Blvd., Cypress, TX 77429

HD 131 Living Hope Houston – Gulf Meadows Church, 8012 Fuqua St., Houston, TX 77075

HD 132 [To be determined by the Advisory Board]

HD 133 [To be determined by the Advisory Board]

HD 134 West University Senior Center, 6104 Auden St., Houston, TX 77005

HD 135 [To be determined by the Advisory Board]

HD 137 [To be determined by the Advisory Board]

HD 138 Trini Mendenhall Community Center, 1414 Wirt Rd., Houston, TX 77055

HD 139 Glorious Way Church, 11611 Champion Forest Dr., Houston, TX 77066

HD 140 Glorious Way Church, 11611 Champion Forest Dr., Houston, TX 77066

HD 141 Kingwood Middle School, 2407 Pine Terrace Dr., Kingwood, TX 77339

HD 142 Crosby Community Center, 409 Hare Rd., Crosby, TX 77532

HD 143 Crosby Community Center, 409 Hare Rd., Crosby, TX 77532

HD 144 Central Baptist Church, Deer Park, 210 W. X St., Deer Park, TX 77536

HD 145 The R.O.C.K. World Outreach International Church, 4101 Broadway St., Houston, TX 77087

HD 146 Living Hope Houston – Gulf Meadows Church, 8012 Fuqua St., Houston, TX 77075

HD 147 The R.O.C.K. World Outreach International Church, 4101 Broadway St., Houston, TX 77087

HD 148 Glorious Way Church, 11611 Champion Forest Dr., Houston, TX 77066

HD 149 [To be determined by the Advisory Board]

HD 150 Concordia Lutheran High School, 700 E. Main St., Tomball, TX 77375; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in accordance with Texas Election Code (TEC), the County Chairman or her designee shall provide public notice of the date, time, and place for convening the individual Precinct Conventions on the Harris County Republican Party website or at the joint location on the bulletin board used for posting notice of meetings of the Commissioners Court2; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, if any of the above locations should become unavailable for or incompatible with Precinct Conventions on March 7, 2026, and provided that the Harris County Republican Party becomes aware of any such issue prior to February 27, 2026, then the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee explicitly delegates its authority under RPT Rule No. 19 to designate the “date, time, and place” of precinct conventions for any precincts so affected to the Advisory Board; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in the event a Precinct Convention must move to another location due to unknown or unexpected circumstances, the Precinct Convention must be called to order at the time and place of notice described above, then immediately recessed for a period of not more than one hour, followed by reconvening at another location, and a notice of the reconvened Precinct Convention time and place must be posted conspicuously at all entrances of the location where the previous notice of the Precinct Convention was posted, and such notice shall provide clear information designating the time and location where the Precinct Convention will reconvene; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if more than one person claims to be the Temporary Chair of the Precinct Convention, then the incumbent Precinct Chair shall be presumed to be the Temporary Chair of the Precinct Convention; and if there is no incumbent Precinct Chair and there is an unopposed candidate for Precinct Chair, then that person shall be presumed to be the Temporary Chair of the Precinct Convention; and if neither of the previous conditions apply, or if neither of the previous persons described have taken possession of the Precinct Convention packet at the time it is distributed, then the first person eligible 3 to participate in the Precinct Convention shall take possession of the packet and call the Precinct Convention to order at the appointed time and place as described above, and shall serve as the Temporary Precinct Convention Chair; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if it is commonly known in advance that multiple persons may claim to be the Temporary Chair of the Precinct Convention, the County Chair or her designee shall make reasonable efforts to make this resolution and Precinct Convention information available to any person requesting information on this matter; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in accordance with RPT Rule No. 22(b)4, “the written record [of each precinct convention] shall be signed by the Permanent Chairman of the Precinct Convention and made available for inspection and additional copying by any participant in the convention for a period of thirty (30) minutes immediately following adjournment of the convention.”

Footnotes: 

1  Republican Party of Texas Rule No. 19 – Date, Time, and Place of Precinct Conventions 

2 TEC 174.023 – Notice of Date, Hour, and Place 

3 TEC 174.024 – Participant to Be Registered Voter

4 Republican Party of Texas Rule No. 22 – Chairman’s Responsibilities

Respectfully submitted,

HCRP Convention Committee

Resolution Appointing the Primary Committee for the 2026 Republican Primary in Harris County, Texas

WHEREAS, the Texas Election Code states that a Primary Committee may be established in each county having a County Executive Committee and that the County Chair serves as chair of the primary committee, to perform certain primary election duties; therefore, be it

  1. RESOLVED that, the Primary Committee shall:
  1. Consider resolutions for statutory Primary business to be held at the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee Meetings;
  2. Conduct the drawing for the general Primary ballot order by December 18, 2025; no later than 10 days after the filing closes, pending resolution of any potential legal matters.
  3. Review and approve the Primary and Primary Runoff ballot format and order;
  4. Conduct the local canvass of the primary election on March 12, 2026; the second Thursday after the primary election, pending resolution of any potential legal matters,
  5. Conduct the local canvass of the runoff election on June 4, 2026; the second Thursday after the runoff day, pending resolution of any potential legal matters, and
  6. Handle any other Primary matters that arise between Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee Meetings; it is, further,
  1. RESOLVED that the following persons are hereby appointed to the 2026 Primary Committee of the Harris County Republican Party
  1. Cindy Siegel, County Chair and Chairman of the 2026 Primary Committee
  2. Vizi Lange-Caldwell, Precinct Chair 0199, (SD 4)
  3. Marga Matthews, Precinct Chair 0249, (SD 6)
  4. John Branch Precinct Chair 0431 (SD 13)
  5. Vergel Cruz, Jr., Precinct Chair 0578 (SD 15)
  6. Ralph Fite, Precinct Chair 0499 (SD 7)
  7. James Simmons, Precinct Chair 0724 (SD 11)
  8. Carrie Whillock, Precinct Chair 0709 (SD 18)
  9. Gail Stolzenburg, Precinct Chair 0509 (SD 17) and it is, further, 
  10. RESOLVED, that all eight HCRP Senatorial District Chairmen are also ex-officio voting members to the Primary Committee whose absence does not count against the quorum.

Resolution Designating the Method of Voting for the 2026 Harris County Republican Primary

WHEREAS, the Texas Election Code requires a political party’s county Executive Committee to adopt voting systems to be use in that party’s primary; therefore, be it 

  1. RESOLVED that, the following voting systems shall be used for the 2026 Republican Primary and Primary Runoff elections in Harris County, Texas:
    1. The Hart InterCivic Verity voting system will be used for all in-person voting, including:
      1. Early Voting and Election Day voting;
      2. Election Day voting by space flight personnel except as provided herein; and 
    2. The Hart InterCivicVerity Duo voting system will be used for:
      1. Early voting by mail for eligible voters;
      2. Late voting by eligible disabled voters;
      3. Late voting made eligible due to death in the immediate family;
      4. Electronic transmissions from eligible military or overseas voters; and 
    3. Voting via Federal Postcard Application will be used for eligible voters; and 
    4. For combined polling locations in which any precinct has a contested precinct chair race, a unique ballot style must be provided so that each voter may not vote for a precinct chair for other than that voter’s precinct and as prescribed by the Texas Secretary of State; and it is, further,
  1. RESOLVED that the County Chair may contract for services with the Harris County Clerk Chief or Elections Officer of Harris County to carry out the purpose and intent of this resolution, and that other matters related to the method of voting and the administration of the Primary Election not covered by this resolution shall be determined by the County Chair or her designee in cooperation with the authority contracted for election services.

Resolution Designating the Method of Appointing Election Judges for the 2026 Harris County Republican Primary

WHEREAS, the Texas Election Code provides that the Republican County Chair shall appoint for each primary, with the approval of the Republican County Executive Committee, election judges for each voting precinct in which the election will be held in the County; and, 

WHEREAS, a candidate in an election for a contested party office (other than a precinct chair already declared elected) is ineligible to serve in an election to be held on the same day as that election, as an election judge or clerk in any precinct in which the office sought is to be voted on; therefore, be it 

  1. RESOLVED, That the Executive Committee of the Harris County Republican Party adopts the following procedures for the appointment of election judges for the 2026 Republican Primary election, if such persons agree to serve and are not otherwise precluded from serving for another reason, such as stated in the Texas Election Code:
  1. Those who are incumbent Republican Precinct Chairs immediately after the last quarterly Executive Committee meeting in the year before the Primary Election year, and remain uncontested after the filing deadline set for December 8, 2025, pending resolution of any potential legal matters, may be appointed as Presiding Election Judges for the 2026 Republican Primary Election; and
  1. Those who are incumbent precinct chairs, but are precluded from serving as election judge by law, who choose not to serve, or who cannot serve for any reason, shall recommend a person to serve as Presiding Election Judge representing their precinct for the 2026 Republican Primary Election; and
  1. If those persons described above are not able to serve, then those persons who are not Precinct Chairs immediately after the last quarterly Executive Committee meeting in the year before the Primary Election year, but have filed for said office and remain uncontested after the filing deadline set for December 8, 2025, pending resolution of any potential legal matters, shall be appointed election judges for the 2026 Republican Primary Election; and
  1. That the Alternate Election Judge shall be appointed by the Presiding Election Judge, and in the event of his or her failure to do so, the County Chair may appoint the Alternate Election Judge after February 12, 2026, in order to give required notice to election judges; and
  1. The County Chair or her designee may appoint all other election judges and election personnel not included in this resolution; and it is, further,
  1. RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution shall be provided to each Election Judge along with the notice of appointment.

Resolution Designating the Method of Drawing of Ballot Positions for the 2026 Harris County Republican Primary

WHEREAS, the Texas Election Code provides that the Executive Committee of a county political party may delegate drawing for ballot positions on Primary elections to a Party Primary Committee; and 

WHEREAS, rules for drawing ballot positions will help ensure equal opportunity for candidates to draw a preferred position and accuracy in recording the ballot positions as drawn; therefore, it is 

  1. RESOLVED, the 2026 Harris County Republican Primary ballot draw will be conducted as follows:
  1. Drawing for ballot position shall be from a container with numbered ping pong balls;
  2. The number of ping pong balls to be drawn will equal the number of candidates for any respective office on the ballot;
  3. The ping pong balls shall be marked twice, once on each side, with easy-to-read numbers and underscored as needed (e.g., 6 and 9) to be distinguishable;
  4. The container from which the drawing occurs, shall be constructed, suspended, or held so that the numbered balls are not visible to anyone drawing or observing the drawing;
  5. Each candidate affected by the drawing is entitled to be present or have a representative present at the drawing;
  6. If a candidate is not present and does not have a representative present at the drawing, a member of the Primary Committee will draw on behalf of that candidate;
  7. The order of drawing will be as follows:
    1. Ballot order of office (United States Senator to Precinct Chairman), then by
    2. Alpha-numeric order within office (e.g., District, Place, or Precinct Numbers), then by
    3. Filing order (First to file and accepted, to most recent to file and accepted), or by alphabetical order of candidates’ last name only if filing order is unknown 
    4. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a candidate or a candidate’s representative who is present shall draw before the drawing by a Primary Committee member on behalf of a candidate for that same office who is absent and not represented at the ballot draw;
  8. The number drawn as indicated on the ping pong ball shall correspond with the ballot position for a particular candidate in a given contested race on the 2026 Primary Ballot;
  9. Three persons named by the Primary Committee will independently record the drawing results and, if their records conflict but two recorders agree, that agreed number shall govern;
  10. The drawing for ballot positions and recording of the results shall be continuously supervised by one or more members of the Primary Committee;
  11. After drawing, each candidate shall be provided a form showing how the candidate’s name is to appear on the ballot and the corresponding ballot position, to be signed by the candidate to confirm the accuracy of the ballot name and ballot position; and 
  12. In the event there is a runoff, the order of the candidates’ names on the runoff primary election ballot for each county shall be in the same order as on the general primary election ballot.

Resolution Fixing the Compensation of Primary Election Personnel for the 2026 Harris County Republican Primary

WHEREAS, Texas law requires a County Party Executive Committee to fix compensation for election judges and clerks for the Party’s primary election; therefore, it is 

  1. RESOLVED, compensation for election judges and clerks for the 2026 Harris County Republican Primary is as follows:
  1. Presiding Election Judges, Alternate Judges, and Election Clerks shall be paid at an hourly rate and for times not to exceed the rates and times allowed by the Texas Secretary of State per hour and Alternate Election Judges or Election Clerks shall be paid an hourly rate not to exceed the amount allowed by the Secretary of State per hour;
  1. Per Texas regulations, an Election Judge, Alternate Judge, or Election Clerk should attend a Secretary of State-approved training class without compensation;
  1. Per Texas law:
    1. The Election Judge or Clerk who delivers precinct election records or other election equipment and unused election supplies after an election will be compensated for that service in an amount not to exceed $25.
    2. If more than one election officer delivers records and unused supplies, the Presiding Judge shall determine how the amount fixed for the service is be allocated among the officers;
    3. Harris County Central Counting Station technical support personnel may be paid an hourly rate determined by the pay scale established by the Harris County Clerk’s office; and
    4. An Election Judge or Clerk may not be paid for more than one hour of work before the polls open. In a precinct in which voting machines are used, an Election Judge or Clerk may not be paid for more than two hours of work after the time for closing the polls or after the last voter has voted, whichever is later.

Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee
Restoration of Non-Biometric Access to Government and Private/Commercial Accounts and Services

  • Whereas, the United States government, in managing access to services and programs—such as IRS, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, DMV, and gun licensing—must not require citizens to provide or use biometric or biological data (including but not limited to facial, hand, finger, voice, eye, gait, or iris data);
  • Whereas, such requirements infringe upon personal privacy and bodily sovereignty and threaten the constitutional rights guaranteed to citizens;
  • Whereas, citizens lacking smartphones, reliable internet, or technical skill—particularly low-income, elderly, rural, or otherwise underserved Texans—are effectively disenfranchised when digital access hinges on biometric technology;
  • Whereas, centralized storage and use of biometric or “gait” data by government or its contractors exposes individuals to the risk of warrantless, continuous surveillance, unauthorized searches and seizures— whether through exploitation by government agencies or criminal actors, or compelled disclosure by private entities;
  • Whereas, the Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier (CUBI) Act, codified in Texas Business & Commerce Code § 503.001, prohibits capturing biometric identifiers (retina, iris, fingerprint, voiceprint, or face/hand geometry) for commercial purposes without notice and informed consent—and mandates destruction within a reasonable timeframe—subject to civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation;
  • Whereas, the 2025 Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA) reinforces that biometric identifiers cannot be passively captured—such as in online images—and extends CUBI’s protections to artificial intelligence systems;
  • Whereas, the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (effective July 1, 2024) defines biometric data as “sensitive data,” requiring affirmative consumer consent, and mandates transparency, data minimization, and non-discrimination for all data collection practices;
  • Whereas, at the federal level, the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a) restricts how federal agencies manage personally identifiable information, requiring consent for disclosure and providing rights to access and correct records;
  • Whereas, the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects against unreasonable searches and seizures—including digital and biometric surveillance—affirmed by Katz v. United States (1967) and Riley v. California (2014), which recognize that individuals retain privacy expectations in their digital and biometric data absent a warrant;
  • Whereas, biometric data collection and enforcement disproportionately harm those with limited or no access to high-tech devices, discriminating against Americans based on income, location, age, and digital literacy;
  • Whereas, for millennia prior to the widespread use of biometric technologies, all humans, including the American public, successfully accessed all government services using simple and accessible methods—such as Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, passwords, PINs, and in-person identification—without any form of biological surveillance or dependency on private biometric databases;

Resolved, that the Harris County Republican Party calls upon:

  • Texas’s Governor, Legislature, and Congressional delegation to demand that all U.S. federal and Texas state agencies immediately restore and continue to offer non-biometric access methods for all government accounts and services, including but not limited to IRS, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, DMV, and gun licensing systems;
  • That all public and private authentication and identity verification methods must remain as simple, accessible, and inclusive as they were prior to the implementation of biometric data collection—ensuring that no American is excluded due to lack of devices, digital knowledge, or technical access; and that while biometric methods may be offered as an optional secondary form of authentication, they must never be the sole or required means of access to any public service or private system;
  • That all biometric systems be strictly voluntary, with no coercion, reduction, or denial of service for any individual who refuses to participate in facial, fingerprint, voice, iris, gait, or other biometric or biological recognition systems; and that, in all cases, the collection or use of biometric data must be preceded by the individual’s specific, overt, and fully informed consent, granted freely for each separate instance in which such data is requested or processed;
  • That all instances of all previously collected biometric data by federal or state agencies, contractors, private entities, or third parties be permanently deleted, and that data not be shared with, sold to, or accessed by private or international entities;
  • That all citizens be guaranteed the right to use non-biometric, low-tech access methods, such as PINs, printed identification cards, and live, in-person or Notary verification to interact with any level of government or private entities;
  • That the storage, transmission, and access of biometric data—when used—be subject to strict judicial oversight, and that any remote, automated, or AI-enhanced surveillance using such data be explicitly prohibited unless authorized by a valid court-issued warrant under probable cause;
  • That Texas officials work to uphold and expand citizen protections established under the Texas Biometric Identifier Act, TRAIGA, the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, the Privacy Act of 1974, and the Fourth Amendment, by opposing any federal or international mandates which infringe upon the privacy and sovereignty of Texas residents.

Be it further resolved, that copies of this Resolution be sent within 10 days of its adoption to:

  • The Governor of Texas;
  • The Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Texas House;
  • All Republican members of the Texas Legislature;
  • All Texas Republican members of the U.S. Congress;
  • The Texas Attorney General, and;
  • Relevant Republican federal and state agency directors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be published on the Harris County Republican Party’s official website within 10 days of its adoption.

Respectfully submitted to the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee,

— Adopted on [Date] by the Harris County Republican Party Executive Committee —

Signed:

Alma Lorena Barreno-Zertuche – PCT Chair:0882
Eric Biersdorfer – PCT Chair:0751
Bill Birkline – PCT Chair:0489
Thomas Herman Herold – PCT Chair:0935
Nicholas Hughes – PCT Chair:0266
Glenn Jenkinson – PCT Chair:0092
Shannon Mitchel – PCT Chair:0350
Patricia Moore – PCT Chair:0483
Charles Peyton rushing II – PCT Chair:0385
Shayne Singer – PCT Chair:0200

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