BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 4952 By: Landgraf Delivery of Government Efficiency Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law relating to public information, information relating to the methods by which a governmental body detects and deters fraud is not sufficiently protected from disclosure. This lack of protection could result in disclosing to a bad actor what might become essentially a playbook for committing fraud against the state. H.B. 4952 seeks to protect information relating to governmental fraud detection and deterrence measures from disclosure under the public information law. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 4952 amends the Government Code to establish that information in the custody of a governmental body that relates to fraud detection and deterrence measures is confidential and excepted from the public availability requirement of state public information law. For these purposes, fraud detection information includes risk assessments, reports, data, protocols, technology specifications, manuals, instructions, investigative materials, crossmatches, mental impressions, and communications that may reveal the methods or means by which a governmental body prevents, investigates, or evaluates fraud. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 4952
By: Landgraf
Delivery of Government Efficiency
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 4952
By: Landgraf
Delivery of Government Efficiency
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law relating to public information, information relating to the methods by which a governmental body detects and deters fraud is not sufficiently protected from disclosure. This lack of protection could result in disclosing to a bad actor what might become essentially a playbook for committing fraud against the state. H.B. 4952 seeks to protect information relating to governmental fraud detection and deterrence measures from disclosure under the public information law.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 4952 amends the Government Code to establish that information in the custody of a governmental body that relates to fraud detection and deterrence measures is confidential and excepted from the public availability requirement of state public information law. For these purposes, fraud detection information includes risk assessments, reports, data, protocols, technology specifications, manuals, instructions, investigative materials, crossmatches, mental impressions, and communications that may reveal the methods or means by which a governmental body prevents, investigates, or evaluates fraud.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current law relating to public information, information relating to the methods by which a governmental body detects and deters fraud is not sufficiently protected from disclosure. This lack of protection could result in disclosing to a bad actor what might become essentially a playbook for committing fraud against the state. H.B. 4952 seeks to protect information relating to governmental fraud detection and deterrence measures from disclosure under the public information law.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 4952 amends the Government Code to establish that information in the custody of a governmental body that relates to fraud detection and deterrence measures is confidential and excepted from the public availability requirement of state public information law. For these purposes, fraud detection information includes risk assessments, reports, data, protocols, technology specifications, manuals, instructions, investigative materials, crossmatches, mental impressions, and communications that may reveal the methods or means by which a governmental body prevents, investigates, or evaluates fraud.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.