HBA-MPM H.B. 692 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 692
By: Janek
Public Health
2/22/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, anyone may obtain a physician's social security number by
calling the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, a practice which may
make a physician susceptible to fraud.  The attorney general has ruled that
a social security number is not considered confidential data, although
current state law provides protection for an individual's social security
number by labeling it as "personal information," thus qualifying it as
confidential.  H.B. 692 provides for the confidentiality of the social
security number of an applicant for or holder of a license to practice
medicine. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Article 4495b, V.T.C.S. by adding Section 5.12, as
follows: 

Sec. 5.12.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.  Provides that the
social security number provided to the Texas State Board of Medical
Examiners by an applicant for or holder of a license to practice medicine
is confidential and not subject to disclosure under the open records law. 

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.