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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the confidentiality of certain property tax appraisal |
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photographs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 552, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 552.155 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 552.155. EXCEPTION: CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN |
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PROPERTY TAX APPRAISAL PHOTOGRAPHS. (a) Except as provided by |
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Subsection (b) or (c), a photograph that is taken by the chief |
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appraiser of an appraisal district or the chief appraiser's |
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authorized representative for property tax appraisal purposes and |
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that shows the interior of an improvement to property is |
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confidential and excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021. |
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(b) A governmental body shall disclose a photograph |
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described by Subsection (a) to a requestor who had an ownership |
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interest in the improvement to property shown in the photograph on |
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the date the photograph was taken. |
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(c) A photograph described by Subsection (a) may be used as |
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evidence in and provided to the parties to a protest under Chapter |
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41, Tax Code, or an appeal of a determination by the appraisal |
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review board under Chapter 42, Tax Code, if it is relevant to the |
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determination of a matter protested or appealed. A photograph that |
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is used as evidence: |
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(1) remains confidential in the possession of the |
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person to whom it is disclosed; and |
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(2) may not be disclosed or used for any other purpose. |
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SECTION 2. Section 552.222, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The officer for public information and the officer's |
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agent may not make an inquiry of a requestor except to establish |
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proper identification or except as provided by Subsection (b), [or] |
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(c), or (c-1). |
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(c-1) If the information requested includes a photograph |
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described by Section 552.155(a), the officer for public information |
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or the officer's agent may require the requestor to provide |
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additional information sufficient for the officer or the officer's |
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agent to determine whether the requestor is eligible to receive the |
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information under Section 552.155(b). |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |