BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 394

By: McClendon

Ways & Means

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

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.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

H.B. 394 amends the Tax Code to include information that indicates the age of a property owner, including information indicating that a property owner is 65 years of age or older, among the information in property tax appraisal records that is prohibited from being posted on the Internet. The bill requires the chief appraiser for each appraisal district to ensure that any information indicating the age of a property owner that is posted on a website controlled by the appraisal district is removed from the website not later than the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.