SRC-AMY, TJG S.B. 85 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 85
78R1356 JRD-DBy: Wentworth
Veteran Affairs & Military Installations
3/7/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 


Currently, the armed services encourage veterans to file their DD-214, the
military discharge document, with their local county clerk. This allows
the clerk to furnish a certified copy of the record to the veteran, the
veteran's guardian, or the veteran's heirs.  The DD-214 contains the
veteran's social security number and is considered public record, which,
paired with the rise in identity theft, concerns veterans.  As proposed,
S.B. 85 exempts DD-214 forms from disclosure under the Public Information
Act, permitting the release of the record only to the veteran or the
veteran's survivor. 


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 Chapter 552C, Government Code, by adding Section
552.140, as follows: 

Sec. 552.140.  MILITARY DISCHARGE RECORDS.  (a) Provides that a military
veteran's Department of Defense Form DD-214 or other military discharge
record that has been recorded with or that is otherwise in the possession
of a governmental body is excepted from required public disclosure.  

(b) Authorizes a governmental body to release the form or other military
discharge record only to certain persons and under certain circumstances. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.