H.B. No. 2197




AN ACT

relating to the availability to the public of photographs of an 
inmate confined by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 552.029, Government Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
	Sec. 552.029.  RIGHT OF ACCESS TO CERTAIN INFORMATION 
RELATING TO INMATE OF DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL 
JUSTICE.  Notwithstanding Section 508.313 or 552.134, the 
following information about an inmate who is confined in a facility 
operated by or under a contract with the Texas Department of 
Criminal Justice is subject to required disclosure under Section 
552.021:
		(1)  the inmate's name, identification number, age, 
birthplace, department photograph, physical description, or 
general state of health or the nature of an injury to or critical 
illness suffered by the inmate;
		(2)  the inmate's assigned unit or the date on which the 
unit received the inmate, unless disclosure of the information 
would violate federal law relating to the confidentiality of 
substance abuse treatment;
		(3)  the offense for which the inmate was convicted or 
the judgment and sentence for that offense;
		(4)  the county and court in which the inmate was 
convicted;                
		(5)  the inmate's earliest or latest possible release 
dates;                
		(6)  the inmate's parole date or earliest possible 
parole date;             
		(7)  any prior confinement of the inmate by the Texas 
Department of Criminal Justice or its predecessor;  or
		(8)  basic information regarding the death of an inmate 
in custody, an incident involving the use of force, or an alleged 
crime involving the inmate.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 2197 was passed by the House on April 
20, 2005, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 0, 1 present, not 
voting.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   

	I certify that H.B. No. 2197 was passed by the Senate on May 
25, 2005, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Secretary of the Senate    



APPROVED:  _____________________                                            
 
                   Date                                                      




 
          _____________________                                          
 
                 Governor