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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to access to criminal history record information by the |
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Public Utility Commission of Texas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 411, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 411.14031 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 411.14031. ACCESS TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD |
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INFORMATION: PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS. (a) The Public |
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Utility Commission of Texas is entitled to obtain from the |
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department criminal history record information maintained by the |
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department that relates to a person required to undergo a criminal |
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history background check under Section 12.107, Utilities Code. |
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(b) Criminal history record information obtained under |
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Subsection (a): |
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(1) is for the exclusive use of the Public Utility |
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Commission of Texas and is privileged and confidential; and |
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(2) may not be released or disclosed to any person or |
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agency except on court order or with the consent of the person who |
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is the subject of the information. |
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(c) The Public Utility Commission of Texas may destroy |
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criminal history record information obtained under Subsection (a) |
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after the information is used for the purposes authorized by this |
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section. |
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(d) This section does not prohibit the Public Utility |
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Commission of Texas from obtaining and using criminal history |
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record information as provided by other law. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 12, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 12.107 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.107. REQUIRED CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS FOR |
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EMPLOYEES. (a) The commission shall perform a state and federal |
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criminal history background check on a person who is: |
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(1) an applicant for employment with the agency; or |
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(2) an employee of the agency. |
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(b) The commission shall require a person described by |
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Subsection (a) to submit fingerprints in a form and of a quality |
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acceptable to the Department of Public Safety and the Federal |
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Bureau of Investigation for use in conducting a criminal history |
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background check. |
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(c) The commission shall obtain electronic updates from the |
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Department of Public Safety of arrests and convictions of a person: |
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(1) for whom the commission performs a background |
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check under Subsection (a); and |
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(2) who remains an employee of the commission. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |