BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 125

By: Martinez

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the possible risks posed to certain professional mental health practitioners because the practitioner’s home address may be included in the online registries, rosters, or databases of the practitioner’s licensing agency. H.B. 125 seeks to address this issue by prohibiting the inclusion of the home address of certain license holders in the applicable registry, roster, or database unless the license holder requests such inclusion.

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. 125 amends the Occupations Code to prohibit the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, the Department of State Health Services, and the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners from including the home address of a licensed dyslexia practitioner or therapist, a licensed professional counselor, a licensed chemical dependency counselor, or a person licensed under the Social Work Practice Act, respectively, in a roster, registry, or other database, as applicable, published on the applicable entity's website unless the person requests that the person's home address appear in the applicable roster, registry, or database. The bill requires such requests to be made in the manner prescribed by the applicable entity and establishes that the home address of such a person that is included in the applicable roster, registry, or database is public information and is not excepted from required disclosure under state public information law.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.