Many of the Bills listed below can and will affect you in a negative way as a Security Owner.

The 77th Texas Legislative Session is gearing up. Senate Committee Chairs have been appointed as follows: 

Administration: 
Sen. David Cain------Chair 
Sen. Steve Ogden---Vice Chair 

Criminal Justice: 
Sen. Ken Armbrister-----Chair 
Sen. John Whitmire------Vice Chair 

Business and Commerce: 
Sen. David Silbey----Chair 
Sen. Troy Frazier----Vice Chair 

Subcommittee on Border Affairs: 
Sen. Eddie Lucio----Chair 

Education: 
Sen. Teel Bivins----Chair 
Sen. Judith Zaffirini----Vice Chair 

Finance: 
Sen. Rodney Ellis----Chair 
Sen. Chris Harris----Vice Chair 

Legislative Budget Board: 
Sen. Rodney Ellis, Sen. Chris Harris 
Sen. Florence Shapiro, Sen. John Whitmire 

Health and Human Services: 
Sen. Mike Moncrief----Chair 
Sen. John Carona----Vice Chair 

Intergovernmental Relations: 
Sen. Frank Madla----Chair 
Sen. Jon Lindsay----Vice Chair 

Juris Prudence: 
Sen. Royce West----Chair 
Sen. David Bernsen----Vice Chair 

Natural Resources: 
Sen. Buster Brown----Chair 
Sen. Robert Duncan----Vice Chair 

Subcommittee on Agriculture: 
Sen. Tom Haywood----Chair 

Nominations: 
Sen. Jane Nelson----Chair 
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte----Vice Chair 

State Affairs: 
Sen. Florence Shapiro----Chair 
Sen. Carlos Truan----Vice Chair 

Redistricting: 
Sen. Jeff Wentworth----Chair 
Sen. Mike Jackson----Vice Chair 


The following Bills have been pre-filed in the legislature. Each Bill is listed by number, author and a short synopsis:

HB 307, Rep. Suzanna Hupp of Lampasas 
Disclosure of motor vehicle records (VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS). This Bill would regulate the disclosure of personal information. It would be available to the Private Investigative Industry if it is to be used: in conjunction with a civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceeding in any court or government agency or before any self-regulatory body, including service of process, investigation in anticipation of litigation, execution or enforcement of a judgement or order, or under an order of any court. 

HB 308, Rep. Suzanna Hupp of Lampasas 
Relates to the sale of personal information from Drivers License files. This Bill would require the Texas Department of Public Safety to notify a license holder in writing, the identity of the person that purchased the personal information. This Bill could severely restrict the use of drivers license information in locating witnesses, etc. 

HB 334, Rep. Suzanna Hupp of Lampasas 
Relates to the confidentiality of persons licensed to carry a concealed weapon. This Bill limits public access to the DPS files of persons licensed to carry a concealed weapon. 

HB 169, Rep. Allan Ritter of Nederland 
HB 206, Rep. John Longoria of San Antonio 
Relates to the appointment of SPECIAL RETIRED PEACE OFFICERS. This Bill establishes criteria for the commissioning of certain retired peace officers by TCOLESE. It would allow them to enforce laws, protection, life and property. This would allow them to be employed as security guards and body guards without being registered with TCPS. 

HB 207, Rep. John Longoria of San Antonio 
HB 232, Rep. Judy Hawley of Portland 
Relates to the exemption of certain peace officers from regulation under the Private Security Act. These Bills would exempt reserve peace officers from the Private Security Act allowing them to work as security guards, etc. without being licensed by TCPS. 

SB 11, Sen. Florence Shapiro of Plano 
Relates to the privacy of medical records. This Bill is very extensive and detailed. It addresses the confidentiality, disclosure and securing of an individual's medical records held by hospitals, clinics, doctors and psychologists. Each individual should review this Bill for their own benefit. 

HB 398, Rep. Todd Smith of Euless 
Relates to the disclosure of medical billing records. This Bill gives a new definition to billing records of a medical patient. It also restricts the use of the specific medical services provided to the patient in conjunction with a collection process. This Bill should provide little if any problem for our industry. 

SB 111, Sen. Mike Moncrief of Ft. Worth 
HB 46, Rep. Ruth McClendon of San Antonio 
Relates to the availability of motor vehicle accident records. These Bills are designed to restrict access to motor vehicle accident records by persons who would use them for the direct solicitation of the parties involved in the accident. The Bills would allow access if the person seeking the record could furnish at least two of the following: name of any person involved, date, and specific location. 

SB 15, Sen. Jane Nelson of Flower Mound 
SB 27, Sen. Florence Shapiro, Plano 
HB 137, Rep. Debra Danburg of Houston 
Relates to the confidentiality of addresses of victims of family violence, stalking, family violence shelters, sexual assault programs, employees and volunteers who work within these programs. SB 27 would provide for service of process on these individuals through the Secretary of State. 

HB 241, Rep. Suzanna Hupp of Lampasas 
Relates to the disclosure of an individual's social security number by a business. This Bill prohibits the business from demanding a social security number before providing a good or service. If mandatory under law for the business to require a social security number, the business shall provide to the individual the citation of the law. 

HB 353, Rep. Ray Allen of Grand Prairie 
Relates to fees for processing inquires for criminal history information. This Bill sets specific fees for the processing of inquiries for criminal history requests as follows:
1. $10.00 when processed only on the basis of a name, unless submitted electronically or by magnetic media, in which event the fee is $1.00. 
2. $15.00 when processed on the basis of fingerprint comparison only. 
3. Actual costs for processing all other information inquiries. 

H.J.R. 15, Rep. Suzanna Hupp of Lampasas 
This is a proposed constitutional amendment relating to a right of privacy. "The right of every individual to privacy is recognized and may not be infringed without the showing of a compelling state interest that may not be achieved in a less intrusive and more reasonable manner." This amendment, if passed, would be voted on November 6, 2001, as presently set out in the proposed amendment. 

These and other Bills may be accessed through the internet at www.capitol.state.tx.us/. I urge each member to review each Bill and let your ASSIST Board of Directors and Keith Oakley, our Legislative Chair, know your thoughts on each. 

Dave Scepanski, ASSIST
[email protected]

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