| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to access to and use of criminal history record |
|
|
information by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 411.14031, Government Code, is amended |
|
|
by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding Subsections |
|
|
(a-1) and (b-1) to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The Public Utility Commission of Texas is entitled to |
|
|
obtain as provided by Subsection (a-1) [from the department] |
|
|
criminal history record information [maintained by the department] |
|
|
that relates to an applicant for employment at, a current employee |
|
|
of, or a person who contracts or may contract to provide goods or |
|
|
services for the Public Utility Commission of Texas [a person |
|
|
undergoing a background and criminal history check under Section |
|
|
12.107, Utilities Code]. |
|
|
(a-1) Subject to Section 411.087 and consistent with the |
|
|
public policy of this state, the Public Utility Commission of Texas |
|
|
is entitled to: |
|
|
(1) obtain through the Federal Bureau of Investigation |
|
|
criminal history record information maintained or indexed by that |
|
|
bureau that pertains to a person described by Subsection (a); and |
|
|
(2) obtain from the department or any other criminal |
|
|
justice agency in this state criminal history record information |
|
|
maintained by the department or that criminal justice agency that |
|
|
relates to a person described by Subsection (a). |
|
|
(b) Criminal history record information obtained under |
|
|
Subsection (a-1) [(a): |
|
|
[(1)] is for the exclusive use of the Public Utility |
|
|
Commission of Texas and is privileged and confidential. |
|
|
(b-1) The Public Utility Commission of Texas may not release |
|
|
or disclose to any person criminal history record information |
|
|
obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Subsection |
|
|
(a-1)(1). Criminal history record information obtained by the |
|
|
Public Utility Commission of Texas under Subsection (a-1)(2)[; and |
|
|
[(2)] may not be released or disclosed to any person or |
|
|
agency except on court order or with the consent of the person who |
|
|
is the subject of the information. |
|
|
(c) The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall [may] |
|
|
destroy criminal history record information obtained under this |
|
|
section [Subsection (a)] after the information is used for the |
|
|
purpose authorized by this section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 4344 was passed by the House on May 2, |
|
|
2025, by the following vote: Yeas 130, Nays 5, 1 present, not |
|
|
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
|
|
No. 4344 on May 23, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 126, Nays 8, |
|
|
2 present, not voting. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 4344 was passed by the Senate, with |
|
|
amendments, on May 19, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
|
|
0. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
APPROVED: __________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
__________________ |
|
|
Governor |