| 1 | 1 | | 88R7374 KKR-F |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Turner H.B. No. 2534 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the confidentiality of working papers and electronic |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | communications of administrative law judges and appeals judges |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | under the workers' compensation system. |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 410, Labor Code, is |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 410.008 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 410.008. CONFIDENTIALITY OF WORKING PAPERS AND |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES AND APPEALS |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | JUDGES. The following working papers and electronic communications |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | of an administrative law judge or appeals judge created in |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | connection with conducting contested case hearings or appeals to |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | the appeals panel are not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Government Code: |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (1) notes and electronic communications recording the |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | observations, thoughts, questions, deliberations, or impressions |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | of an administrative law judge or appeals judge; |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (2) drafts of a decision; and |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (3) drafts of an order. |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | document or electronic communication created by an administrative |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | law judge or appeals judge before, on, or after the effective date |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | of this Act. |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|