SGN H.B. 2828 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS CORRECTIONS H.B. 2828 By: Place 4-2-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Prior to September 1995, the home address, telephone number and social security number of Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) employees was treated as confidential, in the same manner as the home address, telephone number and social security number of peace officers is treated as confidential. However, under current law, TDCJ employees must request this information be held confidential within 14 days of employment, otherwise confidentiality is waived. PURPOSE In light of the nature of their work, additional precautions should be taken to protect the confidentiality of TDCJ employees, just as additional precautions are taken to protect the confidentiality of law enforcement officials. HB 2828, if enacted, will restore the presumption that personal information regarding TDCJ employees is confidential. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 552.117(2) and (3), Government Code to allow for confidentiality of personal information about peace officers and TDCJ employees regardless of whether the officer has requested such confidentiality. SECTION 2. States that any previous action taken by TDCJ to keep employee records confidential is not declared invalid by this Act. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.