HBA-MPM H.B. 836 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 836
By: King, Tracy
Public Health
2/23/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, records in Texas are sealed 50 years after the date of a
person's birth and 25 years after a person's death.  Because indexes to
these records are not addressed directly in the Government Code, many
county clerks seal the indexes along with the actual records.  This causes
problems for genealogists and people searching for relatives.
Additionally, many county clerks have expressed confusion as to whether or
not they should seal the indexes with the records.  H.B. 836 allows the
indexes to be open to the public while still keeping the actual records
sealed.   

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 Section 552.115, Government Code, to exempt a birth or
death record maintained by a local registration official, as well as a
record maintained by the bureau of vital statistics of the Texas Department
of Health, from the requirements of Section 522.021(Availability of Public
Information), with certain exceptions.  Makes an additional exception under
this section that a birth or death index established or maintained by the
bureau of vital statistics or a local registration official is public
information and available to the public. 

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