BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3631

By: Bailes

State Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the inability to obtain through a public information request an email address provided by an applicant for or holder of an occupational license issued by the Department of Agriculture or the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, even though that information is normally collected through the licensing process. C.S.H.B. 3631 seeks to address these concerns by making email addresses provided during this process through those agencies subject to disclosure under state public information law.

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. 3631 amends the Government Code to make an email address provided to a governmental body by an applicant for or holder of an occupational license issued by the Department of Agriculture (TDA) or the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) subject to disclosure under state public information law.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3631 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute limits the state-issued occupational licenses to which the bill's provisions apply to those issued by the TDA or by TDLR.