Bill Text: TX HB3257 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the confidentiality of certain biosecurity and other sensitive information shared with the Texas Animal Health Commission.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-13 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB3257 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB3257-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 3257 | ||
|
|
||
| relating to the confidentiality of certain biosecurity and other | ||
| sensitive information shared with the Texas Animal Health | ||
| Commission. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 161, Agriculture Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 161.009 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 161.009. CONFIDENTIALITY OF BIOSECURITY AND OTHER | ||
| SENSITIVE INFORMATION. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) | ||
| and (c), information held by the commission is confidential and | ||
| excepted from disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, if the | ||
| information consists of or relates to a biosecurity plan, a secure | ||
| food supply plan, an emergency preparedness plan, or biosecurity | ||
| data that was voluntarily provided to the commission by an owner or | ||
| caretaker of an animal. | ||
| (b) The commission may release information described by | ||
| Subsection (a) to: | ||
| (1) the attorney general's office, for the purpose of | ||
| law enforcement; | ||
| (2) the secretary of the United States Department of | ||
| Agriculture, for the purpose of animal health protection; | ||
| (3) the secretary of the Department of Homeland | ||
| Security, for the purpose of homeland security; | ||
| (4) the Department of State Health Services, for the | ||
| purpose of protecting the public health from zoonotic diseases; | ||
| (5) any person, if required by a court order; | ||
| (6) a federal, state, municipal, or county emergency | ||
| management authority, for the purpose of management or response to | ||
| natural or man-made disasters; or | ||
| (7) any person the executive director of the | ||
| commission considers appropriate, if: | ||
| (A) the executive director determines that: | ||
| (i) livestock may be threatened by a | ||
| disease, agent, or pest; and | ||
| (ii) the release of the information is | ||
| related to actions the commission may take in performance of its | ||
| powers and duties; or | ||
| (B) the executive director determines that the | ||
| release of the information is necessary for emergency management | ||
| purposes under Chapter 418, Government Code. | ||
| (c) The commission's release of confidential information | ||
| under Subsection (b): | ||
| (1) does not affect the confidentiality of the | ||
| information; | ||
| (2) is not an offense under Section 552.352, | ||
| Government Code; and | ||
| (3) is not a voluntary disclosure for purposes of | ||
| Section 552.007, Government Code. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 3257 was passed by the House on May 9, | ||
| 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 2, 2 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 3257 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
| 24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| _____________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
