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Texas: New Bill Amends Trade Secrets Statute, Aligning with the Defend Trade Secrets Act

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September 1, 2017

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House Bill 1995 amends the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“TUTSA”), bringing it into closer alignment with the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (“DTSA”).  The bill eliminates discrepancies between the TUTSA and DTSA’s definition of “trade secrets,” adds definitions for an “owner” of a trade secret, defines “willful and malicious appropriation” and “clear and convincing evidence” for the purpose of establishing willful and malicious appropriation, and further emphasizes what measures an organization must make in order to qualify information as a trade secret.