BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1784
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current statute requires burglar alarm companies to provide cities with a list of everyone located within the city who has a burglar alarm. However, the statute also states that cities are prohibited from using the list to contact burglar alarm customers. Cities believe they need the ability to contact individuals living within the city who have burglar alarms to inform them of the city's policy regarding such alarms.
H.B. 1784 authorizes cities to use the list of security alarm customers residing within their city to notify the customer of any proposed changes to the city's burglar alarm response policy, and to inform the occupant that of his or her option to contract with a security services provider to respond to the occupant's alarm.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 214.199, Local Government Code, by adding Subsection (c) to authorize a municipality that adopts or proposes to adopt an ordinance under this section (Exemption of Municipality From Alarm System Response) to notify permit holders that a permit holder is authorized to contract with a security services provider licensed by the Texas Private Security Board under Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, to respond to an alarm. Requires the notice, if given, to include the board's telephone number and Internet website address.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 1702.284, Occupations Code, as follows:
Sec. 1702.284. ALARM SYSTEMS RECORDS CONFIDENTIAL. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text.
(b) Authorizes information described by Subsection (a) to be used by the governmental body to inform the occupant of the governmental body's alarm system response policy and any proposed change to that policy, and the option of the occupant to contract with a security services provider to respond to the occupant's alarm.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.