By: Kacal (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst) H.B. No. 3257
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2023;
  May 11, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Water,
  Agriculture & Rural Affairs; May 19, 2023, reported favorably by
  the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 19, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the confidentiality of certain biosecurity and other
  sensitive information shared with the Texas Animal Health
  Commission.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 161, Agriculture Code, is
  amended by adding Section 161.009 to read as follows:
         Sec. 161.009.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF BIOSECURITY AND OTHER
  SENSITIVE INFORMATION. (a)  Except as provided by Subsections (b)
  and (c), information held by the commission is confidential and
  excepted from disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, if the
  information consists of or relates to a biosecurity plan, a secure
  food supply plan, an emergency preparedness plan, or biosecurity
  data that was voluntarily provided to the commission by an owner or
  caretaker of an animal.
         (b)  The commission may release information described by
  Subsection (a) to: 
               (1)  the attorney general's office, for the purpose of
  law enforcement;
               (2)  the secretary of the United States Department of
  Agriculture, for the purpose of animal health protection;
               (3)  the secretary of the Department of Homeland
  Security, for the purpose of homeland security;
               (4)  the Department of State Health Services, for the
  purpose of protecting the public health from zoonotic diseases;
               (5)  any person, if required by a court order;
               (6)  a federal, state, municipal, or county emergency
  management authority, for the purpose of management or response to
  natural or man-made disasters; or
               (7)  any person the executive director of the
  commission considers appropriate, if:
                     (A)  the executive director determines that:
                           (i)  livestock may be threatened by a
  disease, agent, or pest; and
                           (ii)  the release of the information is
  related to actions the commission may take in performance of its
  powers and duties; or
                     (B)  the executive director determines that the
  release of the information is necessary for emergency management
  purposes under Chapter 418, Government Code.
         (c)  The commission's release of confidential information
  under Subsection (b):
               (1)  does not affect the confidentiality of the
  information;
               (2)  is not an offense under Section 552.352,
  Government Code; and
               (3)  is not a voluntary disclosure for purposes of
  Section 552.007, Government Code.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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