HBA-SEP H.B. 1916 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1916
By: Capelo
State Affairs
3/14/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a taxpayer's home address and other personal information, listed
in appraisal district tax rolls and school district tax information, is
posted on the Internet as public information.  This includes peace officers
who may be at risk of retaliation from criminals seeking revenge against an
arresting officer.  House Bill 1916 provides that information in appraisal
records relating to peace officers is confidential.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1916 amends the Government and Tax codes relating to the
confidentiality of information held by governmental bodies that identifies
certain personal information about peace officers.  The bill provides that
information in appraisal records is confidential and is available only for
the official use of the appraisal district, this state, the comptroller,
and taxing units and political subdivisions of this state, if the
information identifies the home address of a peace officer who elects to
restrict public access to the information.  The bill does not prohibit the
public disclosure of information that identifies property according to an
address if the information does not identify a peace officer. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.