| 1 | 1 | | 87R5226 SGM-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Gervin-Hawkins H.B. No. 1563 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the disclosure of information in department files of |
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| 8 | 8 | | fire fighters or police officers in certain municipalities. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 143.089, Local Government Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by amending Subsection (g) and adding Subsection (h) to |
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| 12 | 12 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (g) A fire or police department may maintain a personnel |
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| 14 | 14 | | file on a fire fighter or police officer employed by the department |
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| 15 | 15 | | for the department's use. The information contained in the |
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| 16 | 16 | | department file is public information subject to disclosure under |
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| 17 | 17 | | Chapter 552, Government Code, unless the information is made |
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| 18 | 18 | | confidential under that chapter or other law [, but the department |
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| 19 | 19 | | may not release any information contained in the department file to |
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| 20 | 20 | | any agency or person requesting information relating to a fire |
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| 21 | 21 | | fighter or police officer. The department shall refer to the |
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| 22 | 22 | | director or the director's designee a person or agency that |
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| 23 | 23 | | requests information that is maintained in the fire fighter's or |
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| 24 | 24 | | police officer's personnel file]. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (h) Before the department responds to a request for public |
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| 26 | 26 | | information under Subsection (g), the department shall provide the |
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| 27 | 27 | | fire fighter or police officer with a copy of the request and |
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| 28 | 28 | | written notice of the department's intent to comply with the |
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| 29 | 29 | | request. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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