80R1125 PEP-D

By: Dutton H.B. No. 765

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to restrictions on the disclosure of certain criminal history records and to the duty of law enforcement agencies regarding records associated with certain defendants; creating an offense.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 411.081(d), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, if a person is placed on community supervision, including deferred adjudication community supervision, under [Section 5,] Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, successfully completes the period of community supervision or [subsequently] receives a discharge and dismissal under Section 5(c), Article 42.12, as applicable, and satisfies the requirements of Subsection (e), the person may petition the court that placed the defendant on community supervision [deferred adjudication] for an order of nondisclosure under this subsection. Except as provided by Subsection (e), a person may petition the court under this subsection regardless of whether the person has been previously placed on [deferred adjudication] community supervision for another offense. After notice to the state and a hearing on whether the person is entitled to file the petition and issuance of the order is in the best interest of justice, the court shall issue an order prohibiting criminal justice agencies from disclosing to the public criminal history record information related to the offense giving rise to the community supervision [deferred adjudication]. A criminal justice agency may disclose criminal history record information that is the subject of the order only to other criminal justice agencies, for criminal justice or regulatory licensing purposes, an agency or entity listed in Subsection (i), or the person who is the subject of the order. A person may petition the court [that placed the person on deferred adjudication] for an order of nondisclosure on payment of a $28 fee to the clerk of the court in addition to any other fee that generally applies to the filing of a civil petition. The payment may be made only on or after:

(1) the date on which the period of community supervision expires or, for a person who was placed on deferred adjudication community supervision, the date on which the proceedings are dismissed and the person is discharged under Section 5(c), Article 42.12 [the discharge and dismissal], if the offense for which the person was placed on community supervision [deferred adjudication] was a misdemeanor other than a misdemeanor described by Subdivision (2);

(2) the second anniversary of the date described by Subdivision (1) [discharge and dismissal], if the offense for which the person was placed on community supervision [deferred adjudication] was a misdemeanor under Chapter 20, 21, 22, 25, 42, or 46, Penal Code; or

(3) the fifth anniversary of the date described by Subdivision (1) [discharge and dismissal], if the offense for which the person was placed on community supervision [deferred adjudication] was a felony.

SECTION 2. The heading to Section 552.142, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 552.142. EXCEPTION: [RECORDS OF] CERTAIN CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS [DEFERRED ADJUDICATIONS].

SECTION 3. The heading to Section 552.1425, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 552.1425. CIVIL PENALTY: [RECORDS OF] CERTAIN CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS [DEFERRED ADJUDICATIONS].

SECTION 4. Chapter 39, Penal Code, is amended by adding Section 39.07 to read as follows:

Sec. 39.07. PROHIBITED COMPILATION OR DISSEMINATION OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION. (a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to obtain a benefit or with intent to harm or defraud another, the person compiles or disseminates criminal history record information that the person knows is the subject of an order of nondisclosure issued under Section 411.081, Government Code.

(b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

(c) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the person compiled or disseminated the information for a purpose described by Section 411.083(a) or (b)(1), (2), or (3), Government Code, or another purpose specifically authorized by law.

SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act to Section 411.081(d), Government Code, applies to criminal history record information related to the placement of a person on community supervision regardless of whether the community supervision was ordered before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.