This website will be unavailable from Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, June 3, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. due to data center maintenance.

                                                                                
78R9114 RCJ-F


By:  Goolsby                                                      H.B. No. 500

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 500:                                    

By:  Madden                                                   C.S.H.B. No. 500



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the confidentiality of certain information contained in 
applications for ad valorem tax exemptions; providing criminal 
penalties.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Tax Code, is amended by 
adding Section 11.48 to read as follows:
	Sec. 11.48.  CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.  (a)  A driver's 
license number, personal identification certificate number, or 
social security account number provided in an application for an 
exemption filed with a chief appraiser is confidential and not open 
to public inspection.  The information may not be disclosed to 
anyone other than an employee of the appraisal office who appraises 
property, except as authorized by Subsection (b).
	(b)  Information made confidential by this section may be 
disclosed:
		(1)  in a judicial or administrative proceeding 
pursuant to a lawful subpoena;
		(2)  to the person who filed the application or to the 
person's representative authorized in writing to receive the 
information;
		(3)  to the comptroller and the comptroller's employees 
authorized by the comptroller in writing to receive the information 
or to an assessor or a chief appraiser if requested in writing;
		(4)  in a judicial or administrative proceeding 
relating to property taxation to which the person who filed the 
application is a party; or
		(5)  if and to the extent the information is required to 
be included in a public document or record that the appraisal office 
is required by law to prepare or maintain.
	(c)  A person who legally has access to an application for an 
exemption or who legally obtains the information from the 
application made confidential by this section commits an offense if 
the person knowingly:
		(1)  permits inspection of the confidential 
information by a person not authorized by Subsection (b) to inspect 
the information; or
		(2)  discloses the confidential information to a person 
not authorized by Subsection (b) to receive the information.
	(d)  An offense under Subsection (c) is a Class B 
misdemeanor.        
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.