BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3022

By: Miller

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There have been calls to make it easier for cities and counties to have residents opt in for a local emergency warning system. C.S.H.B. 3022 seeks to answer these calls by authorizing a person, when applying for an original or renewal driver's license, to consent to participate in a local emergency warning system and by authorizing cities and counties to contract with the Department of Public Safety for disclosure of the contact information of residents who consent to that disclosure for the purpose of participating.

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

C.S.H.B. 3022 amends the Transportation Code to authorize a person, when applying for an original or renewal driver's license, to consent to participate in a local emergency warning system and to the disclosure by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) of the person's contact information to the municipality or county, or both, in which the person resides for the purpose of participating in an emergency warning system operated by the municipality or county.

C.S.H.B. 3022 requires DPS to include space on each application for an original or renewal driver's license that allows a person applying for the license to indicate whether the person consents to participate in an emergency warning system operated by the municipality or county, or both, in which the person resides and consents to disclosure by DPS of the person's contact information to the municipality or county or both.

C.S.H.B. 3022 requires DPS to disclose a person's contact information to a municipality or county for participation in an emergency warning system if:

· the person indicates the person's consent to participate in the system and to the disclosure; and

· the applicable municipality or county operates a system and has contracted with DPS for the disclosure of the person's contact information.

The bill prohibits the use or disclosure of contact information obtained by a municipality or county for any purpose other than enrolling a person in an emergency warning system and issuing warnings to the person through the system.

C.S.H.B. 3022 amends the Government Code to authorize a county or incorporated city, for purposes of operating an emergency warning system for its residents, to contract with DPS for disclosure by DPS of the contact information of a political subdivision resident who consents to the disclosure for the purpose of participating in the system. The bill authorizes a system participant to request removal from the system by submitting a written request for removal to the applicable political subdivision and requires the political subdivision to remove the participant's contact information from the system and cease issuing emergency warnings to the former participant through the system on receipt of the request.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3022 differs from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways to make technical corrections.