HBA-SEP C.S.S.B. 694 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.S.B. 694
By: Wentworth
State Affairs
5/2/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

State and local agencies are acquiring credit card and debit card
information from many individuals and organizations through business and
governmental transactions.  Under current law, an individual's credit card
number may be withheld from disclosure under the Public Information Act,
but state law does not clearly specify whether the credit card numbers of
organizations may also be withheld.  C.S.S.B. 694 provides that all credit
card, debit card, charge card, and access device numbers collected,
assembled, or maintained by or for a governmental body are 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

C.S.S.B. 694 amends the Government Code to provide that a credit card,
debit card, charge card, or access device number that is collected,
assembled, or maintained by or for a governmental body is confidential.
The bill also provides that an e-mail address of a member of the public
that is provided for the purpose of communicating electronically with a
governmental body is confidential unless the member of the public
affirmatively consents to its release.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.S.B. 694 modifies the original to specify that a charge card number
that is collected, assembled, or maintained by or for a governmental body
is confidential.  The substitute provides that an e-mail address of a
member of the public that is provided for the purpose of communicating
electronically with a governmental body is confidential unless the member
of the public affirmatively consents to its release.