BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 2154

By: Wentworth

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Certain information regarding travel vouchers is available under the Public Information Act.    Often, peace officers provide personal protection for an elected official or a member of the elected official's family.  Some courts have interpreted the Public Information Act to require disclosure of such travel vouchers, including the location where the officer and elected official spent the night, ate dinner, and other information.  Such disclosure could have adverse safety consequences.

S.B. 2154 establishes that a travel voucher submitted by a peace officer assigned to certain types of protective details is confidential.

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

S.B. 2154 amends the Government Code to establish that a travel expense voucher for expenses incurred by a state employee submitted or to be submitted by a state agency to the comptroller of public accounts is confidential and may not be disclosed under Texas public information laws if the voucher is submitted or is to be submitted for payment or reimbursement of a travel expense incurred by a peace officer who is assigned to provide protection for an elected official of Texas or a member of the elected official's family, and the travel expense was incurred by the peace officer in providing protection for the elected official or a family member.

S.B. 2154 requires a state agency that submits such a voucher to provide to a person, on request, a summary of the amounts paid or reimbursed by the comptroller in response to the voucher and a summary of any goods and services acquired for which a travel expense is claimed under the voucher.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.