BILL ANALYSIS
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Senate Research Center |
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AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Interested parties have expressed concern regarding the accessibility of certain personal information over the Internet, specifically the ability to procure private citizens' personal or financial information and identifying information from property appraisal records and other information posted on appraisal district websites. The parties contend that this information could be used in determining a property owner's location, which could prove detrimental to the property owner's safety, especially in cases involving vulnerable populations such as the elderly. H.B. 394 seeks to protect the privacy and personal safety of property owners.
H.B. 394 amends current law relating to the information in ad valorem tax appraisal records that may not be posted on the Internet by an appraisal district.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.027, Tax Code, as follows:
Sec. 25.027. New heading: RESTRICTION ON POSTING INFORMATION ON INTERNET WEBSITE. (a) Prohibits information in appraisal records from being posted on the Internet if the information:
(1) is a photograph, sketch, or floor plan of an improvement to real property that is designed primarily for use as a human residence; or
(2) indicates the age of a property owner, including information indicating that a property owner is 65 years of age or older.
(b) Provides that Subsection (a)(1), rather than this section, does not apply to an aerial photograph that depicts five or more separately owned buildings.
SECTION 2. Requires the chief appraiser for each appraisal district, not later than the effective date of this Act, to ensure that information described by Section 25.027(a)(2), Tax Code, as added by this Act, that is posted on an Internet website controlled by the appraisal district is removed from the website.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2015.