BILL ANALYSIS
By: Madden
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Federal judges are routinely subjected to threats against their life in the workplace, the marketplace and even their home, which in the case of the latter, can stem from receipt of mail or non-postal packages, personal confrontation, and other forms of direct or indirect action. In light of continuing efforts to secure government buildings and other sensitive locations, preventative, proactive efforts work best to deter disgruntled individuals from exacting retribution against public officials they perceive as having perpetrated an injustice against them, or who seek to retaliate on behalf of someone they view as having been wronged by "the system."
H.B. 498 is designed to combat such belligerent and even criminal behavior by changing the applicable laws to keep confidential the actual home address of a U.S. Court of Appeals Judge, U.S. District Court Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge and Magistrate Judge of a U.S. District Court as found on their voter registration application form, other applicable voting lists used by state or local entities, or local appraisal records. H.B. 498 will also allow the use of the courthouse to which these federal judges are primarily assigned, as the address of record on their own concealed carry license and/or that of their spouse.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 498 makes applicable amendments to the Election Code by giving U.S. Court of Appeals Judges, U.S. District Court Judges, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judges and Magistrate Judges of U.S. District Courts the option of keeping their home address confidential as found on their voter registration application form and other applicable voting lists used by state and local government entities as long as an affidavit stating that an applicant is a federal judge is turned in with the voter registration application form.
H.B. 498 makes applicable amendments to the Government Code by allowing these specific federal judges or the spouse of these federal judges to use the address of the court house that a federal judge or the spouse of a federal judge serves as the primary address on their own concealed and carry license instead of their personal address. The measure also makes reflective changes to the Government Code to address status changes that might occur to a concealed and carry license carrier.
H.B. 498 amends the Tax Code to include these specific federal judges on the list of those certain home addresses that are to remain confidential on local appraisal records.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.