87R11609 TJB-F
By: Howard H.B. No. 4340
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a special right of access to certain public information
by an individual who is a victim of a crime.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 552, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 552.0235 to read as follows:
Sec. 552.0235. SPECIAL RIGHT OF ACCESS BY CRIME VICTIM. (a)
Notwithstanding any other law, and except as provided by Subsection
(b), an individual who is a victim of a crime has a special right of
access, beyond the right of the public, to information held by a
governmental body related to the detection, investigation, and
prosecution of that crime, including information that is
confidential under law. A governmental body on request by the
individual shall provide the information to the individual for
inspection or duplication in accordance with this chapter.
(b) A governmental body shall redact from any information
provided under this section information that would identify the
alleged or actual perpetrator of the crime, including the
perpetrator's name, address, and social security number.
(c) A governmental body, by providing information under
this section that is confidential or otherwise excepted from
required disclosure under law, does not waive or affect the
confidentiality of the information for purposes of state or federal
law or waive the right to assert exceptions to required disclosure
of the information in the future.
(d) This section does not affect:
(1) the right of an individual who is the victim of a
crime to obtain information from a governmental body under other
law;
(2) the procedures under which the information is
obtained under other law; or
(3) the use that may be made of the information
obtained under other law.
(e) A release of information under Subsection (a) is not an
offense under Section 552.352.
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a request for public information received by a governmental body or
officer for public information on or after the effective date of
this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.