SRC-AMY S.B. 711 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 711
78R5431 JD-DBy: Jackson
Infrastructure Development and Security
3/20/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas's Public Information Act leaves county emergency
preparedness plans vulnerable to individuals who could utilize information
in those plans to put citizens of this state at risk.  As proposed, S.B.
711 exempts from the Public Information Act a county's emergency
preparedness plans with sensitive information relating to infrastructure
that could be jeopardized by disclosure. 

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
552.149, as follows: 

Sec. 552.149.  EXCEPTION: CERTAIN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANS OF COUNTY.
Exempts a county's emergency preparedness plan from Section 552.021
(Availability of Public Information) if the plan contains sensitive
information relating to privately owned critical infrastructures or
facilities and the safety or security thereof could be jeopardized by
disclosure of the emergency preparedness plan. 

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