| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the confidentiality of certain information received or |
|
|
maintained by the Veterans' Land Board. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 161, Natural Resources |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 161.080 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 161.080. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION. (a) |
|
|
This section applies only to: |
|
|
(1) a veteran or a family member of the veteran who |
|
|
applies for or receives any benefits or services offered by the |
|
|
board; or |
|
|
(2) a current member of: |
|
|
(A) the armed forces of the United States, |
|
|
including a reserve component; or |
|
|
(B) the Texas military forces, as that term is |
|
|
defined by Section 437.001, Government Code. |
|
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the following |
|
|
information received or maintained by the board that relates to a |
|
|
person to whom this section applies is confidential and not subject |
|
|
to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code: |
|
|
(1) name; |
|
|
(2) home address; |
|
|
(3) telephone number; |
|
|
(4) e-mail address; |
|
|
(5) emergency contact information; |
|
|
(6) social security number; or |
|
|
(7) any other information that reveals whether the |
|
|
person has family members. |
|
|
(c) The board may disclose the information described by |
|
|
Subsection (b) to: |
|
|
(1) a federal agency, state agency, political |
|
|
subdivision of this state, or private vendor contracted by the |
|
|
board for the purpose of administering any benefits or services |
|
|
offered by the board for veterans or the family members of veterans; |
|
|
or |
|
|
(2) any person with the written consent of a person to |
|
|
whom this section applies if: |
|
|
(A) the information is disclosed for the purpose |
|
|
specified in the written consent; and |
|
|
(B) the disclosed information relates to the |
|
|
consenting person. |
|
|
(d) Information disclosed under Subsection (c) is not |
|
|
subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, and the |
|
|
disclosure does not constitute a voluntary disclosure to the public |
|
|
by the board for purposes of Section 552.007, Government Code. |
|
|
(e) To the extent of any conflict between this section and |
|
|
Section 552.137, Government Code, this section prevails. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
|
|
legislative session. |