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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 559

By: Hernandez

Elections

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Current law allows voter registration records, appraisal records, and other county records to be confidential if they contain the address information of certain groups of individuals whose personal safety could be jeopardized if their home addresses became easily available as a public record.  The law protects peace officers, county jailers, employees of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, commissioned security officers, and certain victims of family violence. H.B. 41, enacted by the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, extended such protections to county and federal judges as well as state legislators within Texas. 

 

C.S.H.B. 559 extends some of these protections to justices of the peace.

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

 

C.S.H.B. 559 amends the Election Code to include a justice of the peace in the definition of "state judge" in provisions relating to the nondisclosure of certain personal information in voter registration records.

 

C.S.H.B. 559 amends the Government Code to include a justice of the peace in the definition of "state judge" in provisions relating to the nondisclosure of certain personal information in concealed handgun license records.

 

C.S.H.B. 559 amends the Tax Code to include a justice of the peace in the definition of "state judge" in provisions relating to the confidentiality of certain home address information in appraisal records.

 

C.S.H.B. 559 reenacts and amends Section 25.025(a), Tax Code, as amended by Chapters 594 (H.B. 41), 621 (H.B. 455), and 851 (H.B. 1141), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, to reconcile provisions relating to the confidentiality of home address information in appraisal records applicable to a federal judge or state judge, certain current or former governmental officers or employees, and a victim of family violence under certain conditions. 

 

C.S.H.B. 559 establishes that, to the extent of any conflict, the bill prevails over an act of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2009.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

C.S.H.B. 559 adds a provision not in the original to reenact and amend Section 25.025(a), Tax Code, as amended by Chapters 594 (H.B. 41), 621 (H.B. 455), and 851 (H.B. 1141), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, to reconcile provisions relating to the confidentiality of certain home address information in appraisal records applicable to certain persons.

 

C.S.H.B. 559 adds a provision not in the original to include a justice of the peace in the definition of "state judge" in provisions relating to the confidentiality of certain home address information in appraisal records.

 

C.S.H.B. 559 adds a provision not in the original to establish that, to the extent of any conflict, the substitute prevails over an act of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.