LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 15, 2009

TO:	Honorable Frank Corte Jr., Chair, House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB2556 by Huffman (Relating to the confidentiality of information pertaining to certain biological agents and toxins.), As Engrossed

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill amends the Texas Public Information Code, under the request for public information provisions, by adding a section which exempts information pertaining to certain bilogical agents and toxins, identified in federal law, from categories of publicly accessible information. Exempted information includes the location of select biological and toxic agent agents, security and safeguard protections for select biological and toxic agent agents, site-specific or transfer-specific documentation of select bilogical and toxic agents and the identity of individuals authorized to possess, use or access select biological or toxic agents. State agencies affected have stated that there is no cost implication to the state in making these technical changes to the Texas Public Information Code.

The bill takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house, or September 1, 2009 if a two- thirds vote is not achieved.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

401 Adjutant General's Department, 405 Department of Public Safety, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 783 University of Houston System Administration

LBB Staff:

JOB, KK, CL, MH, GD