SRC-JEC H.B. 1863 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1863
78R6518 ATP-DBy: Bohac (Lindsay)
State Affairs
5/19/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, although furnishing a driver's license number, personal
identification card number, or social security number on a voter's
registration application is optional, spaces for the numbers appear on the
application.  If an applicant furnishes one or more of the identification
numbers, the numbers can be publicly accessed.  H.B. 1863 makes the
identification numbers, as provided on the voter registration application,
confidential and excludes them from disclosure under the Open Records Act. 

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 the heading to Section 13.004, Election Code, to read
as follows: 

Sec. 13.004.  RECORDING AND DISCLOSURE OF TELEPHONE, SOCIAL SECURITY,
DRIVER'S LICENSE, OR PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER BY REGISTRAR. 

SECTION 2.   Amends Section 13.004, Election Code, by adding Subsection
(c), as follows: 

(c)  Provides that a social security number, Texas driver's license
number, or number of a personal identification card issued by the
Department of Public Safety furnished on a voter registration application
is confidential and does not constitute public information for purposes of
Chapter 552 (Public Information), Government Code.  Requires the registrar
to ensure that a social security number, Texas driver's license number, or
number of a personal identification card issued by the Department of
Public Safety is excluded from disclosure. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.