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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to confidentiality of certain information in rabies |
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vaccination certificates and dog and cat registries. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 826.0211(a) and (b), Health and Safety |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Information contained in a rabies vaccination |
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certificate or in any record compiled from the information |
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contained in one or more certificates that identifies or tends to |
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identify an owner or an address, telephone number, or other |
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personally identifying information of an owner of a vaccinated |
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animal is confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter |
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552, Government Code. The information contained in the certificate |
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or record may not include the social security number or the driver's |
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license number of the owner of the vaccinated animal. |
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(b) The information may be disclosed only to a governmental |
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entity or a person that, under a contract with a governmental |
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entity, provides animal control services or animal registration |
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services for the governmental entity for purposes related to the |
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protection of public health and safety. A governmental entity or |
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person that receives the information, including a county or |
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municipality that registers dogs and cats under Subchapter D, must |
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maintain the confidentiality of the information, may not disclose |
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the information under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may not use |
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the information for a purpose that does not directly relate to the |
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protection of public health and safety. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 826.0311(a) and (b), Health and Safety |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Information that is contained in a municipal or county |
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registry of dogs and cats under Section 826.031 that identifies or |
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tends to identify the owner or an address, telephone number, or |
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other personally identifying information of the owner of the |
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registered dog or cat is confidential and not subject to disclosure |
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under Chapter 552, Government Code. The information contained in |
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the registry may not include the social security number or the |
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driver's license number of the owner of the registered animal. |
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(b) The information may be disclosed only to a governmental |
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entity or a person that, under a contract with a governmental |
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entity, provides animal control services or animal registration |
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services for the governmental entity for purposes related to the |
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protection of public health and safety. A governmental entity or |
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person that receives the information must maintain the |
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confidentiality of the information, may not disclose the |
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information under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may not use the |
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information for a purpose that does not directly relate to the |
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protection of public health and safety. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Sections |
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826.0211(a) and 826.0311(a), Health and Safety Code, applies only |
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to a certificate or registration issued, or record compiled, on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |