S.B. 1015 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 1015
By: Wentworth
State Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, under the Public Information Act, information that is held by a
law enforcement agency or prosecutor or filed with a court, and that is
contained in a victim impact statement or was submitted for purposes of
preparing a victim impact statement, is not confidential.  It is in the
best interests of crime victims for this information to be kept
confidential.  The purpose of Senate Bill 1015 is to except certain
information contained in a crime victim impact statement from disclosure
under the Public Information Act.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department,
institution, or agency. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 1015 amends Subchapter C, Chapter 552, Government Code, by
adding Section 552.1325 to provide that certain identifying information
that is held by a governmental body or filed with a court and that is
contained in a victim impact statement or was submitted for purposes of
preparing a victim impact statement is confidential.  This provision would
apply to a crime victim's name, social security number, address, and
telephone number, and any other information the disclosure of which could
be used to identify a crime victim. 

The bill also includes definitions of "crime victim" and "victim impact
statement."  

EFFECTIVE DATE

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2003.