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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to confidential information. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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Sec. 11.48. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. (a) A driver's |
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license number, personal identification certificate number, or |
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social security account number provided in an application for an |
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exemption filed with a chief appraiser is confidential and not open |
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to public inspection. The information may not be disclosed to |
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anyone other than an employee or agent of the appraisal office |
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district who appraises property or performs appraisal services for |
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the appraisal district, except as authorized by Subsection (b). |
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(b) Information made confidential by this section may be |
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disclosed: |
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(1) in a judicial or administrative proceeding |
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pursuant to a lawful subpoena; |
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(2) to the person who filed the application or to the |
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person's representative authorized in writing to receive the |
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information; |
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(3) to the comptroller and the comptroller's employees |
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authorized by the comptroller in writing to receive the information |
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or to an assessor or a chief appraiser if requested in writing; |
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(4) in a judicial or administrative proceeding |
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relating to property taxation to which the person who filed the |
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application is a party; or |
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(5) if and to the extent the information is required to |
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be included in a public document or record that the appraisal office |
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is required by law to prepare or maintain. |
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(c) A person who legally has access to an application for an |
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exemption or who legally obtains the information from the |
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application made confidential by this section commits an offense if |
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the person knowingly: |
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(1) permits inspection of the confidential |
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information by a person not authorized by Subsection (b) to inspect |
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the information; or |
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(2) discloses the confidential information to a person |
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not authorized by Subsection (b) to receive the information. |
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(d) An offense under Subsection (c) is a Class B |
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misdemeanor. |