By:  Shapleigh                                         S.B. No. 247
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the confidentiality of information held by governmental
 1-3     bodies that identifies certain personal information about peace
 1-4     officers.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 552.024, Government Code, is amended by
 1-7     adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
 1-8           (f)  This section does not apply to a person who is a peace
 1-9     officer to whom Section 552.1175 applies.
1-10           SECTION 2.  Section 552.117, Government Code, is amended to
1-11     read as follows:
1-12           Sec. 552.117.  EXCEPTION:  CERTAIN ADDRESSES, TELEPHONE
1-13     NUMBERS, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, AND PERSONAL FAMILY INFORMATION.
1-14     Information is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021 if
1-15     it is information that relates to the home address, home telephone
1-16     number, or social security number of the following person[,] or
1-17     that reveals whether the [following] person has family members:
1-18                 (1)  a current or former official or employee of a
1-19     governmental body, except as otherwise provided by Section 552.024;
1-20                 (2)  [a peace officer as defined by  Article 2.12, Code
1-21     of Criminal Procedure, or] a security officer commissioned under
1-22     Section 51.212, Education Code, regardless of whether the officer
1-23     complies with Section 552.024;
1-24                 (3)  an employee of the Texas Department of Criminal
1-25     Justice, regardless of whether the employee complies with Section
 2-1     552.024; or
 2-2                 (4)  a peace officer as defined by  Article 2.12, Code
 2-3     of Criminal Procedure, or other law, a reserve law enforcement
 2-4     officer, a commissioned deputy game warden, or a corrections
 2-5     officer in a municipal, county, or state penal institution in this
 2-6     state who was killed in the line of duty, regardless of whether the
 2-7     deceased complied with Section 552.024.
 2-8           SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 552, Government Code, is
 2-9     amended by adding Section 552.1175 to read as follows:
2-10           Sec. 552.1175.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF ADDRESSES, TELEPHONE
2-11     NUMBERS, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, AND PERSONAL FAMILY INFORMATION
2-12     OF PEACE OFFICERS.  (a)  Information that relates to the home
2-13     address, home telephone number, or social security number of a
2-14     peace officer, as defined by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal
2-15     Procedure, or that reveals whether the peace officer has family
2-16     members is confidential and may not be disclosed to the public
2-17     under this chapter if the peace officer:
2-18                 (1)  chooses to restrict public access to the
2-19     information; and
2-20                 (2)  notifies the governmental body of the officer's
2-21     choice on a form provided by the governmental body, accompanied by
2-22     evidence of the officer's status.
2-23           (b)  A choice made under Subsection (a) remains valid until
2-24     rescinded in writing by the peace officer.
2-25           (c)  This section does not apply to information in the tax
2-26     appraisal records of an appraisal district to which Section 25.025,
 3-1     Tax Code, applies.
 3-2           SECTION 4.  Chapter 25, Tax Code, is amended by adding
 3-3     Section 25.025 to read as follows:
 3-4           Sec. 25.025.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN HOME ADDRESS
 3-5     INFORMATION.  (a)  Information in appraisal records under Section
 3-6     25.02 is confidential and is available only for the official use of
 3-7     the appraisal district, this state, the comptroller, and taxing
 3-8     units and political subdivisions of this state if:
 3-9                 (1)  the information identifies the home address of a
3-10     named individual who is a peace officer as defined by Article 2.12,
3-11     Code of Criminal Procedure; and
3-12                 (2)  the peace officer chooses to restrict public
3-13     access to the information on the form prescribed for that purpose
3-14     by the comptroller under Section 5.07.
3-15           (b)  A choice made under Subsection (a) remains valid until
3-16     rescinded in writing by the peace officer.
3-17           (c)  This section does not prohibit the public disclosure of
3-18     information in appraisal records that identifies property according
3-19     to an address if the information does not identify a peace officer
3-20     who has made an election under Subsection (b) in connection with
3-21     the officer's address.
3-22           SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.