| TO: | Honorable Rodney Ellis, Chair, Senate Committee on Open Government |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1512 by Ellis (Relating to the confidentiality of certain crime scene photographs and video recordings; providing a criminal penalty.), As Introduced |
The bill would make sensitive crime scene images confidential and not subject to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act, except to: the deceased person's next of kin, a person authorized in writing by the deceased person's next of kin, a defendant being prosecuted for the death of the deceased person or appealing a conviction of an offense in relation to that death or the defendant's attorney, a bona fide member of the news media, or a person performing bona fide research sponsored by a public or private institution of higher education. Before releasing a sensitive crime scene image, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) would be required to notify the deceased person's next of kin.
The bill would create a Class C misdemeanor for permitting a person to view or copy a sensitive crime scene image except as provided by the bill or to violate a court order issued under Article 56.155. A Class C misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of not more than $500.
The Office of Court Administration anticipates no significant fiscal impact to the court system associated with the bill.
DPS does not anticipate a significant fiscal impact associated with the bill.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Costs associated with enforcement and prosecution of the offense created by the bill could be absorbed within existing resources. Revenue from fines imposed and collected is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact.
| Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 405 Department of Public Safety
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| LBB Staff: | UP, KKR
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