1-1     By:  Deshotel, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Bernsen)      H.B. No. 1353
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 1999;
 1-3     May 10, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on State
 1-4     Affairs; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to certain information used for emergency management and
 1-9     disaster services.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 418, Government Code, is
1-12     amended by adding Section 418.175 to read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 418.175.  CERTAIN INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL.  (a)
1-14     Information that relates to physically or mentally disabled
1-15     individuals or other medically fragile individuals and that is
1-16     maintained for purposes of emergency management or disaster
1-17     planning is confidential and excepted from required disclosure
1-18     under Chapter 552.
1-19           (b)  This section applies to information in the possession of
1-20     any person, including:
1-21                 (1)  the state, an agency of the state, a political
1-22     subdivision, or an agency of a political subdivision; or
1-23                 (2)  an electric, telecommunications, gas, or water
1-24     utility.
1-25           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-26     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-27     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-28     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-29     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-30     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-31     passage, and it is so enacted.
1-32                                  * * * * *