Bill Text: TX HB2609 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to access to criminal history record information by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-27 - Reported favorably as substituted [HB2609 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB2609-Introduced.html
| 88R9566 ANG-D | ||
| By: Guillen | H.B. No. 2609 | |
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| relating to access to criminal history record information by the | ||
| Public Utility Commission of Texas. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 411, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 411.14031 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 411.14031. ACCESS TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD | ||
| INFORMATION: PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS. (a) The Public | ||
| Utility Commission of Texas is entitled to obtain from the | ||
| department criminal history record information maintained by the | ||
| department that relates to a person required to undergo a criminal | ||
| history background check under Section 12.107, Utilities Code. | ||
| (b) Criminal history record information obtained under | ||
| Subsection (a): | ||
| (1) is for the exclusive use of the Public Utility | ||
| Commission of Texas and is privileged and confidential; and | ||
| (2) may not be released or disclosed to any person or | ||
| agency except on court order or with the consent of the person who | ||
| is the subject of the information. | ||
| (c) The Public Utility Commission of Texas may destroy | ||
| criminal history record information obtained under Subsection (a) | ||
| after the information is used for the purposes authorized by this | ||
| section. | ||
| (d) This section does not prohibit the Public Utility | ||
| Commission of Texas from obtaining and using criminal history | ||
| record information as provided by other law. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 12, Utilities Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 12.107 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 12.107. REQUIRED CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS FOR | ||
| EMPLOYEES. (a) The commission shall perform a state and federal | ||
| criminal history background check on a person who is: | ||
| (1) an applicant for employment with the agency; or | ||
| (2) an employee of the agency. | ||
| (b) The commission shall require a person described by | ||
| Subsection (a) to submit fingerprints in a form and of a quality | ||
| acceptable to the Department of Public Safety and the Federal | ||
| Bureau of Investigation for use in conducting a criminal history | ||
| background check. | ||
| (c) The commission shall obtain electronic updates from the | ||
| Department of Public Safety of arrests and convictions of a person: | ||
| (1) for whom the commission performs a background | ||
| check under Subsection (a); and | ||
| (2) who remains an employee of the commission. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
