BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1697

By: Huffman

Government Transparency & Operation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties report that a supplier of drugs used in executions had received credible threats to the supplier's safety. Recently, the attorney general authorized withholding supplier information requested under the state public information law on the grounds that the public information law allows for limiting the release of information that may put individuals at risk of personal harm. S.B. 1697 seeks to codify this authorization.

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

S.B. 1697 amends the Government Code and Code of Criminal Procedure to make confidential and exempt from disclosure under state public information law the identifying information of any person who participates in an execution procedure, including a person who uses, supplies, or administers a substance during the execution, and any person or entity that manufactures, transports, tests, procures, compounds, prescribes, dispenses, or provides a substance or supplies used in an execution.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.