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.