What Does A Reasonable Information Security Program Look Like? June 2023 Deadline Is Looming.

Section 314.4 of the Safeguards Rule identifies nine elements that your company’s information security program must include. Let’s take those elements step by step. a.   Designate a Qualified Individual to implement and supervise your company’s information security program. The Qualified Individual can be an employee of your company or can work for an affiliate or service provider. The person doesn’t need…

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TxDMV Announces Redesign of Temporary Tags to Prevent Fraud

Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) Texas Temporary Tag Administration: Since the end of the 87th Legislative Session, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) has taken action to curtail and prevent the fraudulent production of, access to, and use of temporary tags and timed permits. Implementation of House Bill 3927 allowed the department to…

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How To Make Your Dealership Stand Out: Part 1

Associate Member Contribution from Tim Parsons of HBK CPAs & Consultants What differentiates your dealership from the store down the street? Do you know? Would you like to find out? Maybe you would and then again, maybe you wouldn’t. Based on numerous surveys done during the pandemic, when everyone was trying to figure out their…

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Data Breach? Report it.

Texas law requires certain businesses that experience a data breach of system security to notify affected consumers AND also to provide notice of that data breach to the Office of the Texas Attorney General if the breach affects 250 or more Texans. Effective September 1, 2021, the notice you provide to the Texas Attorney General…

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FTC Safeguards Rule: What Your Business Needs to Know

From the Federal Trade Commission… As the name suggests, the purpose of the Federal Trade Commission’s Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information – the Safeguards Rule, for short – is to ensure that entities covered by the Rule maintain safeguards to protect the security of customer information. The Safeguards Rule took effect in 2003, but after public comment, the…

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Fingerprinting Requirement For GDN & Franchised Dealer License Applicants Coming Soon

From Monique Johnston – Director, Motor Vehicle Division… At the June 30, 2022 meeting, the Board of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles adopted rules requiring certain new applicants and existing dealer license holders to be fingerprinted (43 Tex. Admin. Code § 211.6). Applications submitted on or after September 1, 2022, will be subject to…

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A Note from TMDA Treasurer Trey Sralla

It’s very easy to get caught up in national politics and what the Republicans and Democrats are saying about each other. Networks like Fox News, MSNBC and CNN have made a FORTUNE over the years feeding the public the mud that is constantly being slung in either direction. The fact of the matter is, no matter…

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Mark Sheffield: Dealers Should Know Their Ground Truth

Normally you see a problem coming at you, but COVID-19 swooped in from the periphery and it’s catching many dealers unprepared. Scientists have long predicted a global pandemic, but like most other agencies, they had to make do with the funding they were given. There’s only so much money to go around. Mixed messaging from…

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