Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3257 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.B. No. 3257
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to the confidentiality of certain biosecurity and other
6	6	sensitive information shared with the Texas Animal Health
7	7	Commission.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 161, Agriculture Code, is
10	10	amended by adding Section 161.009 to read as follows:
11	11	Sec. 161.009. CONFIDENTIALITY OF BIOSECURITY AND OTHER
12	12	SENSITIVE INFORMATION. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b)
13	13	and (c), information held by the commission is confidential and
14	14	excepted from disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, if the
15	15	information consists of or relates to a biosecurity plan, a secure
16	16	food supply plan, an emergency preparedness plan, or biosecurity
17	17	data that was voluntarily provided to the commission by an owner or
18	18	caretaker of an animal.
19	19	(b) The commission may release information described by
20	20	Subsection (a) to:
21	21	(1) the attorney general's office, for the purpose of
22	22	law enforcement;
23	23	(2) the secretary of the United States Department of
24	24	Agriculture, for the purpose of animal health protection;
25	25	(3) the secretary of the Department of Homeland
26	26	Security, for the purpose of homeland security;
27	27	(4) the Department of State Health Services, for the
28	28	purpose of protecting the public health from zoonotic diseases;
29	29	(5) any person, if required by a court order;
30	30	(6) a federal, state, municipal, or county emergency
31	31	management authority, for the purpose of management or response to
32	32	natural or man-made disasters; or
33	33	(7) any person the executive director of the
34	34	commission considers appropriate, if:
35	35	(A) the executive director determines that:
36	36	(i) livestock may be threatened by a
37	37	disease, agent, or pest; and
38	38	(ii) the release of the information is
39	39	related to actions the commission may take in performance of its
40	40	powers and duties; or
41	41	(B) the executive director determines that the
42	42	release of the information is necessary for emergency management
43	43	purposes under Chapter 418, Government Code.
44	44	(c) The commission's release of confidential information
45	45	under Subsection (b):
46	46	(1) does not affect the confidentiality of the
47	47	information;
48	48	(2) is not an offense under Section 552.352,
49	49	Government Code; and
50	50	(3) is not a voluntary disclosure for purposes of
51	51	Section 552.007, Government Code.
52	52	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
53	53	______________________________ ______________________________
54	54	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
55	55	I certify that H.B. No. 3257 was passed by the House on May 9,
56	56	2023, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 2, 2 present, not
57	57	voting.
58	58	______________________________
59	59	Chief Clerk of the House
60	60	I certify that H.B. No. 3257 was passed by the Senate on May
61	61	24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
62	62	______________________________
63	63	Secretary of the Senate
64	64	APPROVED: _____________________
65	65	Date
66	66	_____________________
67	67	Governor