SRC-TJG S.B. 1535 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1535 78R6523 JRD-FBy: Wentworth State Affairs 4/2/2003 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Current law makes most e-mail addresses automatically confidential. If a governmental body is asked for a copy of a document that contains the e-mail address of a member of the public, the governmental body cannot disclose the document until going through the process of getting an affirmative consent to disclose or getting an attorney general opinion allowing the disclosure or redacting the e-mail address. As proposed, S.B. 1535 provides that the term a member of the public does not include certain persons. This bill also provides that the e-mail addresses of individuals who contract with the state are considered public information. 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 Section 552.137, Government Code, as follows: (a) Provides that certain e-mail addresses are confidential and not subject to disclosure under this chapter, except as otherwise provided by this section. (c) Provides that Subsection (a) does not apply to certain e-mail addresses. (d) Provides that Subsection (a) does not prevent a governmental body from disclosing an e-mail address for any reason to another governmental body or to a federal agency. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2003.