Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

STATE AFFAIRS
Issues
FFAIRS/Public Information & Privacy
77 th Texas Legislature
care for children to the extent necessary to comply with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of
Children.
Entitles DPRS to obtain information on an employee of DPRS, an applicant for a position with DPRS, or a
volunteer or applicant volunteer with DPRS regardless of the duties to be performed. DPRS is entitled to
obtain information on a relative of a child in the care of DPRS, and to obtain information on a person living
in the residence of a child who has allegedly been abused, neglected, or exploited. DPRS is also entitled
to obtain information on a contractor or the contractor's employee who delivers services to a ward of DPRS
under contract with the estate of the ward, a person seeking unsupervised visits with a ward of DPRS,
including a relative of the ward.
Provides that DPRS is entitled to obtain through the Federal Bureau of Investigation or any criminal justice
agency in the state information pertaining to a person DPRS is required or entitled to obtain information
about from DPS. DPRS is not prohibited from releasing criminal history record information to certain
persons responsible for the care or delegation of protective services for a child, elderly person, person with
a disability, or the person who is the subject of the information.
Provides that the failure or refusal of a DPRS employee, volunteer, or potential employee to provide a
complete set of fingerprints or a complete name on request constitutes good cause for dismissal or refusal
to hire, if the position involves interacting with children.
Meetings Related to Lottery Contract Negotiations Closed - S.B. 390
by Senator Wentworth
House Sponsor: Representative Hilbert
Currently, the Texas Lottery Commission (commission) is prohibited from discussing the negotiation of the
lottery operator contract except during a properly posted meeting. This eliminates the opportunity to plan
and discuss strategy aside from that which occurs in the presence of the person with whom negotiations
are being conducted.
Exempts commission meetings to negotiate an operator's contract from the Open Meetings Act, if the
commission determines that an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the commission's position
during negotiations.
The Internet and Confidentiality of Certain Numbers - S.B. 694
by Senator Wentworth
House Sponsor: Representative McCall
The use of the Internet for business and government transactions is growing, with state and local agencies
acquiring credit and debit card numbers from both citizens and organizations, creating a climate for
Senate Research Center 286