SRC-LBB H.B. 500 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 500
78R9114 RCJ-FBy: Goolsby (Carona)
State Affairs
5/5/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, state law requires that an appraisal agency must collect either
a driver's license or Social Security number from applicants for an
exemption.  This information is open to the public.  H.B. 500 prohibits
disclosure of any driver's license, personal identification certificate
number, or social security number provided as part of an exemption
application to a chief tax appraiser for a residential homestead. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Tax Code, by adding Section
11.48, as follows: 

Sec. 11.48.  CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.  (a)  Provides that a driver's
license number, personal identification certificate number, or social
security account number provided in an application for an exemption filed
with a chief appraiser is confidential and not open to public inspection.
Prohibits the information from being disclosed to anyone other than an
employee of the appraisal office who appraises property, except as
authorized by Subsection (b). 

(b)  Authorizes information made confidential by this section to be
disclosed under certain circumstances. 

(c)  Provides that a person who legally has access to an application for
an exemption or who legally obtains the information from the application
made confidential by this section commits an offense if the person
knowingly: 

(1)  permits inspection of the confidential information by a person not
authorized by Subsection (b) to inspect the information; or 
(2)  discloses the confidential information to a person not authorized by
Subsection (b) to receive the information. 

  (d)  Provides that an offense under Subsection (c) is a Class B
misdemeanor. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.