By Uher H.B. No. 3262 76R5862 JRD-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to information in a rabies vaccination certificate or in a 1-3 county or municipal registry of dogs and cats; providing criminal 1-4 penalties. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 826, Health and Safety 1-7 Code, is amended by adding Section 826.0211 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 826.0211. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION IN 1-9 RABIES VACCINATION CERTIFICATE; CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) Information 1-10 that is contained in a rabies vaccination certificate that 1-11 identifies or tends to identify the owner or an address, telephone 1-12 number, or other personally identifying information of the owner of 1-13 the vaccinated animal is confidential and not subject to disclosure 1-14 under Chapter 552, Government Code. 1-15 (b) The information may be disclosed only to a governmental 1-16 entity for purposes related to the protection of public health and 1-17 safety. A governmental entity that receives the information, 1-18 including a county or municipality that registers dogs and cats 1-19 under Subchapter D, must maintain the confidentiality of the 1-20 information, may not disclose the information under Chapter 552, 1-21 Government Code, and may not use the information for a purpose that 1-22 does not directly relate to the protection of public health and 1-23 safety. 1-24 (c) A person commits an offense if the person distributes 2-1 information that is confidential under this section. An offense 2-2 under this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by: 2-3 (1) a fine of not more than $1,000; 2-4 (2) confinement in the county jail for not more than 2-5 180 days; or 2-6 (3) both the fine and confinement. 2-7 SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 826, Health and Safety 2-8 Code, is amended by adding Section 826.0311 to read as follows: 2-9 Sec. 826.0311. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION IN DOG 2-10 AND CAT REGISTRY; CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) Information that is 2-11 contained in a municipal or county registry of dogs and cats under 2-12 Section 826.031 that identifies or tends to identify the owner or 2-13 an address, telephone number, or other personally identifying 2-14 information of the owner of the registered dog or cat is 2-15 confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, 2-16 Government Code. 2-17 (b) The information may be disclosed only to a governmental 2-18 entity for purposes related to the protection of public health and 2-19 safety. A governmental entity that receives the information must 2-20 maintain the confidentiality of the information, may not disclose 2-21 the information under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may not use 2-22 the information for a purpose that does not directly relate to the 2-23 protection of public health and safety. 2-24 (c) A person commits an offense if the person distributes 2-25 information that is confidential under this section. An offense 2-26 under this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by: 2-27 (1) a fine of not more than $1,000; 3-1 (2) confinement in the county jail for not more than 3-2 180 days; or 3-3 (3) both the fine and confinement. 3-4 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. The 3-5 changes in law made by this Act apply only to a disclosure of 3-6 information on or after that date, but the changes in law made by 3-7 this Act apply to information in a rabies vaccination certificate 3-8 or a county or municipal registry of dogs and cats without regard 3-9 to whether the information was obtained on, before, or after that 3-10 date. 3-11 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.