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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to access to and use of criminal history record |
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information by the 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. Section 411.14031, Government Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding Subsections |
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(a-1) and (b-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) The Public Utility Commission of Texas is entitled to |
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obtain as provided by Subsection (a-1) [from the department] |
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criminal history record information [maintained by the department] |
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that relates to: |
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(1) an applicant for employment with the commission; |
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(2) an employee of the commission who is granted |
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access to: |
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(A) the records of an independent organization |
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certified by the Public Utility Commission of Texas under Section |
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39.151, Utilities Code; or |
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(B) critical infrastructure information that is |
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confidential under state or federal law; or |
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(3) a person who enters into a contract with the |
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commission and is granted under that contract access to information |
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in the commission's records that is confidential under state or |
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federal law [a person undergoing a background and criminal history |
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check under Section 12.107, Utilities Code]. |
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(a-1) Subject to Section 411.087 and consistent with the |
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public policy of this state, the Public Utility Commission of Texas |
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is entitled to: |
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(1) obtain through the Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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criminal history record information maintained or indexed by that |
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bureau that pertains to a person described by Subsection (a); and |
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(2) obtain from the department or any other criminal |
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justice agency in this state criminal history record information |
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maintained by the department or that criminal justice agency that |
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relates to a person described by Subsection (a). |
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(b) Criminal history record information obtained under |
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Subsection (a-1) [(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. |
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(b-1) The Public Utility Commission of Texas may not release |
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or disclose to any person criminal history record information |
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obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Subsection |
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(a-1)(1). Criminal history record information obtained by the |
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Public Utility Commission of Texas under Subsection (a-1)(2)[; 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 shall [may] |
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destroy criminal history record information obtained under this |
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section [Subsection (a)] after the information is used for the |
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purpose authorized by this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |