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89(R) HB 5080 - Introduced version - Bill Text
89R11212 JTZ-D
By: Leach
H.B. No. 5080
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the confidentiality of certain information for
employees of a county, a court, or the Office of Court
Administration of the Texas Judicial System and the employees'
family members.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 13.0021, Election Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 13.0021. ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION FROM
CERTAIN FEDERAL AND STATE JUDGES, FEDERAL OFFICIALS,
CLERKS,
GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYEES,
AND FAMILY MEMBERS.
SECTION 2. Section 13.0021(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b)
The registrar of the county shall omit from the
registration list the residence address for a
[
If the
] registration
applicant
who
is
:
(1)
a federal judge, including a federal bankruptcy
judge
;
(2)
[
,
] a state judge
;
(3)
[
,
] a marshal of the United States Marshals
Service
;
(4)
[
,
] a United States attorney
;
(5)
a current or former county clerk, district clerk,
or county and district clerk, or a current or former employee of the
office of a county clerk, district clerk, or county and district
clerk;
(6)
a current or former employee whose duties relate
to court administration, including a court clerk, court
coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or staff attorney;
(7)
a current or former employee of the Office of Court
Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities
administratively attached to the office;
[
,
] or
(8)
a family member of a
person listed in Subdivisions
(1)-(7)
[
state judge, a federal judge, including a federal
bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals Service,
or a United States attorney, the registrar of the county shall omit
the applicant's residence address from the registration list
].
SECTION 3. Section 72.016, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 72.016. NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE FOR JUDICIAL PRIVACY.
The director shall develop a procedure to regularly notify county
registrars, the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Ethics
Commission, and any other state
or local government
agency the
office determines should be notified of the judges, judges'
spouses,
employees of the Office of Court Administration of the
Texas Judicial System and entities administratively attached to the
office,
and related family members whose personal information must
be kept from public records, as provided under Sections 552.117 and
572.035 of this code, Sections 13.0021 and 15.0215, Election Code,
Section 25.025, Tax Code,
and Section 521.121, Transportation Code.
SECTION 4. Section 552.117, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to
read as follows:
(a) Information is excepted from the requirements of
Section 552.021 if it is information that relates to the home
address, home telephone number, emergency contact information, or
social security number of the following person or that reveals
whether the person has family members:
(1) a current or former official or employee of a
governmental body, except as otherwise provided by Section 552.024;
(2) a current or honorably retired peace officer as
defined by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or a current
or honorably retired security officer commissioned under Section
51.212, Education Code, regardless of whether the officer complies
with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable;
(3) a current or former employee of the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice or of the predecessor in function of
the department or any division of the department, regardless of
whether the current or former employee complies with Section
552.1175;
(4) a peace officer as defined by Article 2A.001, Code
of Criminal Procedure, or other law, a reserve law enforcement
officer, a commissioned deputy game warden, or a corrections
officer in a municipal, county, or state penal institution in this
state who was killed in the line of duty, regardless of whether the
deceased complied with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;
(5) a commissioned security officer as defined by
Section 1702.002, Occupations Code, regardless of whether the
officer complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable;
(6) an officer or employee of a community supervision
and corrections department established under Chapter 76 who
performs a duty described by Section 76.004(b), regardless of
whether the officer or employee complies with Section 552.024 or
552.1175;
(7) a current or former employee of the office of the
attorney general who is or was assigned to a division of that office
the duties of which involve law enforcement or are performed under
Chapter 231, Family Code, regardless of whether the current or
former employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;
(8) a current or former employee of the Texas Juvenile
Justice Department or of the predecessors in function of the
department, regardless of whether the current or former employee
complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;
(9) a current or former juvenile probation or
supervision officer certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice
Department, or the predecessors in function of the department,
under Title 12, Human Resources Code, regardless of whether the
current or former officer complies with Section 552.024 or
552.1175;
(10) a current or former employee of a juvenile
justice program or facility, as those terms are defined by Section
261.405, Family Code, regardless of whether the current or former
employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;
(11) a current or former member of the United States
Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, an auxiliary
service of one of those branches of the armed forces, or the Texas
military forces, as that term is defined by Section 437.001;
(12) a current or former district attorney, criminal
district attorney, or county or municipal attorney whose
jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child protective services
matters, regardless of whether the current or former attorney
complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;
(13) a current or former employee of a district
attorney, criminal district attorney, or county or municipal
attorney whose jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child
protective services matters, regardless of whether the current or
former employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;
(14) a current or former employee of the Texas Civil
Commitment Office or of the predecessor in function of the office or
a division of the office, regardless of whether the current or
former employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;
(15) a current or former federal judge or state judge,
as those terms are defined by Section 1.005, Election Code, a
federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals
Service, a United States attorney, or a family member of a current
or former federal judge, including a federal bankruptcy judge, a
marshal of the United States Marshals Service, a United States
attorney, or a state judge;
(16) a current or former child protective services
caseworker, adult protective services caseworker, or investigator
for the Department of Family and Protective Services, regardless of
whether the caseworker or investigator complies with Section
552.024 or 552.1175, or a current or former employee of a department
contractor performing child protective services caseworker, adult
protective services caseworker, or investigator functions for the
contractor on behalf of the department;
(17) an elected public officer, regardless of whether
the officer complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;
(18) a current or former United States attorney,
assistant United States attorney, federal public defender, deputy
federal public defender, or assistant federal public defender and
the spouse or child of the current or former attorney or public
defender, regardless of whether the person complies with Section
552.024 or 552.1175; [
or
]
(19) a firefighter or volunteer firefighter or
emergency medical services personnel as defined by Section 773.003,
Health and Safety Code, regardless of whether the firefighter or
volunteer firefighter or emergency medical services personnel
comply with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable
;
(20)
a current or former county clerk, district clerk,
or county and district clerk, or a current or former employee of the
office of a county clerk, district clerk, or county and district
clerk, regardless of whether the current or former clerk or
employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;
(21)
a current or former employee whose duties relate
to court administration, including a court clerk, court
coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or staff attorney,
regardless of whether the employee complies with Section 552.024 or
552.1175; or
(22)
a current or former employee of the Office of
Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities
administratively attached to the office, regardless of whether the
employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175
.
(b)
Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), all
[
All
]
documents filed with a county clerk and all documents filed with a
district clerk are exempt from this section.
(b-1)
A county clerk or district clerk on request of a
person to whom this section applies shall redact information
described by Subsection (a) that relates to the person from any
document the clerk posts on an Internet website.
SECTION 5. Section 552.1175, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (e) and adding Subsection (e-1) to
read as follows:
(a) This section applies only to:
(1) current or honorably retired peace officers as
defined by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or special
investigators as described by Article 2A.002, Code of Criminal
Procedure;
(2) current or honorably retired county jailers as
defined by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code;
(3) current or former employees of the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice or of the predecessor in function of
the department or any division of the department;
(4) commissioned security officers as defined by
Section 1702.002, Occupations Code;
(5) a current or former district attorney, criminal
district attorney, or county or municipal attorney whose
jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child protective services
matters;
(5-a) a current or former employee of a district
attorney, criminal district attorney, or county or municipal
attorney whose jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child
protective services matters;
(6) officers and employees of a community supervision
and corrections department established under Chapter 76 who perform
a duty described by Section 76.004(b);
(7) criminal investigators of the United States as
described by Article 2A.002(a), Code of Criminal Procedure;
(8) current or honorably retired police officers and
inspectors of the United States Federal Protective Service;
(9) current and former employees of the office of the
attorney general who are or were assigned to a division of that
office the duties of which involve law enforcement or are performed
under Chapter 231, Family Code;
(10) current or former juvenile probation and
detention officers certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice
Department, or the predecessors in function of the department,
under Title 12, Human Resources Code;
(11) current or former employees of a juvenile justice
program or facility, as those terms are defined by Section 261.405,
Family Code;
(12) current or former employees of the Texas Juvenile
Justice Department or the predecessors in function of the
department;
(13) federal judges and state judges as defined by
Section 1.005, Election Code;
(14) current or former employees of the Texas Civil
Commitment Office or of the predecessor in function of the office or
a division of the office;
(15) a current or former member of the United States
Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, an auxiliary
service of one of those branches of the armed forces, or the Texas
military forces, as that term is defined by Section 437.001;
(16) a current or former child protective services
caseworker, adult protective services caseworker, or investigator
for the Department of Family and Protective Services or a current or
former employee of a department contractor performing child
protective services caseworker, adult protective services
caseworker, or investigator functions for the contractor on behalf
of the department;
(17) an elected public officer;
(18) a firefighter or volunteer firefighter or
emergency medical services personnel as defined by Section 773.003,
Health and Safety Code; [
and
]
(19) a current or former United States attorney,
assistant United States attorney, federal public defender, deputy
federal public defender, or assistant federal public defender
;
(20)
a current or former county clerk, district clerk,
or county and district clerk, or a current or former employee of the
office of a county clerk, district clerk, or county and district
clerk;
(21)
a current or former employee whose duties relate
to court administration, including a court clerk, court
coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or staff attorney; and
(22)
a current or former employee of the Office of
Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities
administratively attached to the office
.
(e)
Except as provided by Subsection (e-1), all
[
All
]
documents filed with a county clerk and all documents filed with a
district clerk are exempt from this section.
(e-1)
A county clerk or district clerk on request of a
person to whom this section applies shall redact information
described by Subsection (b) that relates to the person from any
document the clerk posts on an Internet website.
SECTION 6. Section 25.025(a), Tax Code, as amended by
Chapters 76 (S.B. 617), 152 (S.B. 870), 430 (H.B. 1911), 765 (H.B.
4504), and 937 (S.B. 1525), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2023, is reenacted and further amended to read as follows:
(a) This section applies only to:
(1) a current or former peace officer as defined by
Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, and the spouse or
surviving spouse of the peace officer;
(2) the adult child of a current peace officer as
defined by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure;
(3) a current or honorably retired county jailer as
defined by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code;
(4) an employee of the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice;
(5) a commissioned security officer as defined by
Section 1702.002, Occupations Code;
(6) an individual who shows that the individual, the
individual's child, or another person in the individual's household
is a victim of family violence as defined by Section 71.004, Family
Code, by providing:
(A) a copy of a protective order issued under
Chapter 85, Family Code, or a magistrate's order for emergency
protection issued under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure;
or
(B) other independent documentary evidence
necessary to show that the individual, the individual's child, or
another person in the individual's household is a victim of family
violence;
(7) an individual who shows that the individual, the
individual's child, or another person in the individual's household
is a victim of sexual assault or abuse, stalking, or trafficking of
persons by providing:
(A) a copy of a protective order issued under
Subchapter A or B, Chapter 7B, Code of Criminal Procedure, or a
magistrate's order for emergency protection issued under Article
17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure; or
(B) other independent documentary evidence
necessary to show that the individual, the individual's child, or
another person in the individual's household is a victim of sexual
assault or abuse, stalking, or trafficking of persons;
(8) a participant in the address confidentiality
program administered by the attorney general under Subchapter B,
Chapter 58, Code of Criminal Procedure, who provides proof of
certification under Article 58.059, Code of Criminal Procedure;
(9) a federal judge, a federal bankruptcy judge, a
marshal of the United States Marshals Service, a state judge, or a
family member of a federal judge, a federal bankruptcy judge, a
marshal of the United States Marshals Service, or a state judge;
(10) a current or former district attorney, criminal
district attorney, or county or municipal attorney whose
jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child protective services
matters;
(11) a current or former employee of a district
attorney, criminal district attorney, or county or municipal
attorney whose jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child
protective services matters;
(12) an officer or employee of a community supervision
and corrections department established under Chapter 76,
Government Code, who performs a duty described by Section 76.004(b)
of that code;
(13) a criminal investigator of the United States as
described by Article 2A.002(a), Code of Criminal Procedure;
(14) a current or honorably retired police officer or
inspector of the United States Federal Protective Service;
(15) a current or former United States attorney,
assistant United States attorney, federal public defender, deputy
federal public defender, or assistant federal public defender and
the spouse and child of the attorney or public defender;
(16) a current or former employee of the office of the
attorney general who is or was assigned to a division of that office
the duties of which involve law enforcement or are performed under
Chapter 231, Family Code;
(17) a medical examiner or person who performs
forensic analysis or testing who is employed by this state or one or
more political subdivisions of this state;
(18) a current or former member of the United States
armed forces who has served in an area that the president of the
United States by executive order designates for purposes of 26
U.S.C. Section 112 as an area in which armed forces of the United
States are or have engaged in combat;
(19) a current or former employee of the Texas
Juvenile Justice Department or of the predecessors in function of
the department;
(20) a current or former juvenile probation or
supervision officer certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice
Department, or the predecessors in function of the department,
under Title 12, Human Resources Code;
(21) a current or former employee of a juvenile
justice program or facility, as those terms are defined by Section
261.405, Family Code;
(22) a current or former employee of the Texas Civil
Commitment Office or the predecessor in function of the office or a
division of the office;
(23) a current or former employee of a federal judge or
state judge;
(24) a current or former child protective services
caseworker, adult protective services caseworker, or investigator
for the Department of Family and Protective Services or a current or
former employee of a department contractor performing child
protective services caseworker, adult protective services
caseworker, or investigator functions for the contractor on behalf
of the department;
(25) an elected public officer;
(26) a firefighter or volunteer firefighter or
emergency medical services personnel as defined by Section 773.003,
Health and Safety Code;
(27) a customs and border protection officer or border
patrol agent of United States Customs and Border Protection or the
spouse, surviving spouse, or adult child of a customs and border
protection officer or border patrol agent
;
(28)
[
(27)
a current or former attorney for the
Department of Family and Protective Services
[
(27)
] a current or former employee or contract staff
member of a university health care provider at a corrections
facility operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or
the Texas Juvenile Justice Department;
(29)
[
and
[
(28)
] a current or former attorney for the Department
of Family and Protective Services
;
(30)
a current or former county clerk, district clerk,
or county and district clerk, or a current or former employee of the
office of a county clerk, district clerk, or county and district
clerk;
(31)
a current or former employee whose duties relate
to court administration, including a court clerk, court
coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or staff attorney; and
(32)
a current or former employee of the Office of
Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities
administratively attached to the office
.
SECTION 7. Section 521.121, Transportation Code, is amended
by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to
read as follows:
(a) The driver's license must include:
(1) a distinguishing number assigned by the department
to the license holder;
(2) a photograph of the entire face of the holder;
(3) the full name and date of birth of the holder;
(4) a brief description of the holder; and
(5) the license holder's residence address or, for a
license holder using the procedure under Subsection (c)
:
(A)
[
,
] the street address of the courthouse in
which the license holder or license holder's spouse or parent
:
(i)
serves as a federal judge, including a
federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals
Service, a United States attorney, or a state judge
; or
(ii)
performs duties related to court
administration, including a court clerk, court coordinator, court
administrator, law clerk, or staff attorney; or
(B)
the office address of the office in which the
license holder or the license holder's spouse or parent performs
duties as an employee of the office of a county clerk, district
clerk, or county and district clerk, or of the Office of Court
Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities
administratively attached to the office
.
(c) The department shall establish a procedure, on a license
holder's qualification for or appointment to office as a federal or
state judge as defined by Section 1.005, Election Code,
or as a
county clerk, district clerk, or county and district clerk,
or as a
federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals
Service, [
or
] a United States attorney,
or for a license holder
whose duties relate to court administration, including a court
clerk, court coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or staff
attorney, or as an employee of the office of a county clerk,
district clerk, or county and district clerk, or of the Office of
Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities
administratively attached to the office,
to omit the residence
address of the judge
,
[
or
] official
, or employee
and any family
member of the judge
,
[
or
] official
, or employee
on the license
holder's license and to
print
[
include
], in lieu of that address,
the street address of the courthouse or office building in which the
license holder or license holder's spouse or parent serves as a
federal or state judge
,
[
or
] official
, or employee
.
(c-1)
The residence address of a license holder whose
residence address is omitted using the procedure under Subsection
(c) is confidential and is available only for the official use of
the department or a law enforcement agency.
SECTION 8. Not later than November 1, 2026, the Department
of Public Safety shall:
(1) review the department's processes for
implementation of and compliance with Section 521.121,
Transportation Code, as amended by this Act; and
(2) submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor,
the speaker of the house of representatives, each member of the
legislature, and the Texas Judicial Council a written report
containing the results of the review, a description of the methods
used to prepare the review, and any recommendations for legislative
or other action.
SECTION 9. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a request for information that is received by a governmental body or
an officer on or after the effective date of this Act. A request for
information that was received before the effective date of this Act
is governed by the law in effect on the date the request was
received, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 10. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails
over another Act of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025,
relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
codes.
SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.