| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to certain lottery prize winners' choice to remain |
|
|
anonymous. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 466.015, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
|
|
(b-1) The commission shall adopt rules governing |
|
|
nondisclosure of the personally identifiable information of |
|
|
certain lottery prize winners under Section 466.411. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 466.022(b), Government Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) In addition to commission records excepted from |
|
|
disclosure under Chapter 552, the following information is |
|
|
confidential and is exempt from disclosure: |
|
|
(1) security plans and procedures of the commission |
|
|
designed to ensure the integrity and security of the operation of |
|
|
the lottery; |
|
|
(2) information of a nature that is designed to ensure |
|
|
the integrity and security of the selection of winning tickets or |
|
|
numbers in the lottery, other than information describing the |
|
|
general procedures for selecting winning tickets or numbers; [and] |
|
|
(3) the street address and telephone number of a prize |
|
|
winner, if the prize winner has not consented to the release of the |
|
|
information; and |
|
|
(4) except as otherwise authorized by Section 466.411, |
|
|
all personally identifiable information of a natural person who is: |
|
|
(A) a lottery prize winner and who has chosen to |
|
|
remain anonymous under Section 466.411; or |
|
|
(B) an owner of a beneficial interest in a legal |
|
|
entity that is a lottery prize winner and who has chosen to remain |
|
|
anonymous under Section 466.411. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter I, Chapter 466, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 466.411 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 466.411. CHOICE BY CERTAIN PRIZE WINNERS TO REMAIN |
|
|
ANONYMOUS. (a) Subject to Subsection (b), a natural person who is |
|
|
a prize winner of a lottery prize in an amount equal to $1 million or |
|
|
more, or who is an owner of a beneficial interest in a legal entity |
|
|
that is a prize winner of a lottery prize in an amount equal to $1 |
|
|
million or more, may on the date the winner claims the prize choose |
|
|
to remain anonymous and prohibit all personally identifiable |
|
|
information from being released to the public. |
|
|
(b) The commission may release or disclose the personally |
|
|
identifiable information of a natural person who is a lottery prize |
|
|
winner if the person chooses to have the prize paid in periodic |
|
|
installments. The commission may only disclose the information on |
|
|
or after the 30th day after the date the person claims the lottery |
|
|
prize if the person chooses to remain anonymous under Subsection |
|
|
(a). |
|
|
(c) For purposes of this section, the amount of a lottery |
|
|
prize is the total amount of prize money paid to a prize winner for a |
|
|
single lottery prize claim, whether paid in one payment or in |
|
|
periodic installments, before deducting any federal tax |
|
|
withholdings or other deductions required by law. |
|
|
(d) This section does not prohibit release of a natural |
|
|
person prize winner's city or county of residence or prevent the |
|
|
commission from releasing the person's personally identifiable |
|
|
information to the Health and Human Services Commission or as |
|
|
necessary to comply with Section 466.407 or 466.4075. |
|
|
SECTION 4. (a) Not later than December 1, 2017, the Texas |
|
|
Lottery Commission shall adopt the rules and procedures necessary |
|
|
to implement the changes in law made by this Act to Chapter 466, |
|
|
Government Code. |
|
|
(b) Section 466.411, Government Code, as added by this Act, |
|
|
applies only to an initial claim for a lottery prize in an amount |
|
|
equal to $1 million or more that is submitted to the Texas Lottery |
|
|
Commission on or after January 1, 2018. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |