BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 42 By: Shapiro Intergovernmental Relations 2-8-95 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND The volunteer center of Dallas was created by the 73rd Legislature as a pilot program. Currently, the Dallas center supplies criminal history information on potential volunteers and employees to non profit organizations by obtaining the information from the Texas Department of Public Safety at the request of a client organization. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 42 provides volunteer centers access to criminal history record information. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Repealer: Section 411.087(e), Government Code (Access to Criminal History Record Information Maintained by Federal Bureau of Investigation or Local Justice Agency). SECTION 2. Amends Section 411.126, Government Code, as follows: Sec. 411.126. New Heading: ACCESS TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION: VOLUNTEER CENTERS. (a) Redefines "volunteer center." (c) Authorizes the Texas Department of Public Safety (department) to establish rules governing the administration of this section and charge volunteer centers a fee to cover the department's direct costs of administering this program. Deletes existing Subsection (c). (d)-(e) Created from existing text. (f) Authorizes two or more volunteer centers to share technical and staff resources in the development and operation of services for the dissemination of criminal history record information with the approval of the department. (g) Requires that a volunteer center to be held harmless for all causes of action based on acts and omissions in connection with its actions under this section, except for gross negligence or wilful misconduct. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 4. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 5. Emergency clause.