85R30168 TJB-D By: Hunter H.C.R. No. 140 CONCURRENT RESOLUTION WHEREAS, Residents of this state have made inquiries about the process, rules, handling, and processing of recordings and transcripts of emergency calls made to public safety agencies in this state; and WHEREAS, The principle of open and transparent government can coexist with respect for the privacy of families grieving from the loss of a loved one; and WHEREAS, Certain entities have released the recording of an emergency call that includes the voice of an individual who subsequently died as a result of the emergency for which the call was made; and WHEREAS, The family members of those individuals can be unnecessarily traumatized by hearing or learning of what are often the last words of the individual who made the emergency call; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives to provide for a joint interim legislative committee to study the process, rules, handling, and processing of the disclosure of recordings and transcripts of emergency calls made by a subsequently deceased individual to a public safety agency or a public safety answering point, as those terms are defined by Section 771.001, Health and Safety Code; and, be it further RESOLVED, That the committee submit a full report, including findings and recommendations, to the 86th Texas Legislature when it convenes in January 2019.