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AN ACT
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relating to the confidentiality of certain information for |
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employees of a county courthouse or the Office of Court |
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Administration of the Texas Judicial System and the employees' |
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family members. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 13.0021, Election Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.0021. ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION FROM |
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CERTAIN FEDERAL AND STATE JUDGES, FEDERAL OFFICIALS, GOVERNMENTAL |
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EMPLOYEES, AND FAMILY MEMBERS. |
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SECTION 2. Section 13.0021(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The registrar of the county shall omit from the |
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registration list the residence address for a [If the] registration |
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applicant who is: |
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(1) a federal judge, including a federal bankruptcy |
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judge; |
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(2) [,] a state judge; |
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(3) [,] a marshal of the United States Marshals |
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Service; |
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(4) [,] a United States attorney; |
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(5) an employee whose duties are performed on behalf |
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of the administration of a court, including a court clerk, court |
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coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or staff attorney; |
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(6) a current or former employee of the Office of Court |
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Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities |
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administratively attached to the office;[,] or |
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(7) a family member of a person listed in Subdivisions |
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(1)-(6) [state judge, a federal judge, including a federal |
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bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals Service, |
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or a United States attorney, the registrar of the county shall omit |
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the applicant's residence address from the registration list]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 72.016, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 72.016. NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE FOR JUDICIAL PRIVACY. |
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The director shall develop a procedure to regularly notify county |
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registrars, the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Ethics |
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Commission, and any other state or local government agency the |
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office determines should be notified of the judges, judges' |
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spouses, employees of the Office of Court Administration of the |
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Texas Judicial System and entities administratively attached to the |
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office, and related family members whose personal information must |
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be kept from public records, as provided under Sections 552.117 and |
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572.035 of this code, Sections 13.0021 and 15.0215, Election Code, |
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Section 25.025, Tax Code, and Section 521.121, Transportation Code. |
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SECTION 4. Section 552.117, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Information is excepted from the requirements of |
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Section 552.021 if it is information that relates to the home |
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address, home telephone number, emergency contact information, or |
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social security number of the following person or that reveals |
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whether the person has family members: |
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(1) a current or former official or employee of a |
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governmental body, except as otherwise provided by Section 552.024; |
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(2) a current or honorably retired peace officer as |
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defined by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or a current or |
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honorably retired security officer commissioned under Section |
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51.212, Education Code, regardless of whether the officer complies |
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with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable; |
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(3) a current or former employee of the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice or of the predecessor in function of |
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the department or any division of the department, regardless of |
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whether the current or former employee complies with Section |
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552.1175; |
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(4) a peace officer as defined by Article 2.12, Code of |
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Criminal Procedure, or other law, a reserve law enforcement |
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officer, a commissioned deputy game warden, or a corrections |
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officer in a municipal, county, or state penal institution in this |
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state who was killed in the line of duty, regardless of whether the |
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deceased complied with Section 552.024 or 552.1175; |
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(5) a commissioned security officer as defined by |
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Section 1702.002, Occupations Code, regardless of whether the |
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officer complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable; |
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(6) an officer or employee of a community supervision |
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and corrections department established under Chapter 76 who |
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performs a duty described by Section 76.004(b), regardless of |
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whether the officer or employee complies with Section 552.024 or |
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552.1175; |
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(7) a current or former employee of the office of the |
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attorney general who is or was assigned to a division of that office |
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the duties of which involve law enforcement, regardless of whether |
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the current or former employee complies with Section 552.024 or |
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552.1175; |
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(8) a current or former employee of the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department or of the predecessors in function of the |
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department, regardless of whether the current or former employee |
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complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175; |
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(9) a current or former juvenile probation or |
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supervision officer certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice |
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Department, or the predecessors in function of the department, |
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under Title 12, Human Resources Code, regardless of whether the |
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current or former officer complies with Section 552.024 or |
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552.1175; |
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(10) a current or former employee of a juvenile |
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justice program or facility, as those terms are defined by Section |
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261.405, Family Code, regardless of whether the current or former |
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employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175; |
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(11) a current or former member of the United States |
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Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, an auxiliary |
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service of one of those branches of the armed forces, or the Texas |
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military forces, as that term is defined by Section 437.001; |
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(12) a current or former district attorney, criminal |
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district attorney, or county or municipal attorney whose |
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jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child protective services |
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matters, regardless of whether the current or former attorney |
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complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175; |
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(13) a current or former employee of a district |
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attorney, criminal district attorney, or county or municipal |
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attorney whose jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child |
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protective services matters, regardless of whether the current or |
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former employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175; |
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(14) a current or former employee of the Texas Civil |
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Commitment Office or of the predecessor in function of the office or |
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a division of the office, regardless of whether the current or |
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former employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175; |
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(15) a current or former federal judge or state judge, |
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as those terms are defined by Section 1.005, Election Code, a |
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federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals |
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Service, a United States attorney, or a family member of a current |
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or former federal judge, including a federal bankruptcy judge, a |
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marshal of the United States Marshals Service, a United States |
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attorney, or a state judge; |
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(16) a current or former child protective services |
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caseworker, adult protective services caseworker, or investigator |
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for the Department of Family and Protective Services, regardless of |
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whether the caseworker or investigator complies with Section |
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552.024 or 552.1175, or a current or former employee of a department |
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contractor performing child protective services caseworker, adult |
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protective services caseworker, or investigator functions for the |
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contractor on behalf of the department; |
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(17) an elected public officer, regardless of whether |
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the officer complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175; |
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(18) a current or former United States attorney, |
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assistant United States attorney, federal public defender, deputy |
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federal public defender, or assistant federal public defender and |
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the spouse or child of the current or former attorney or public |
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defender, regardless of whether the person complies with Section |
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552.024 or 552.1175; [or] |
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(19) a firefighter or volunteer firefighter or |
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emergency medical services personnel as defined by Section 773.003, |
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Health and Safety Code, regardless of whether the firefighter or |
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volunteer firefighter or emergency medical services personnel |
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comply with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable; |
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(20) a current or former employee whose duties are |
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performed on behalf of the administration of a court, including a |
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court clerk, court coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or |
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staff attorney, regardless of whether the employee complies with |
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Section 552.024 or 552.1175; or |
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(21) a current or former employee of the Office of |
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Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities |
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administratively attached to the office, regardless of whether the |
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employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), all [All] |
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documents filed with a county clerk and all documents filed with a |
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district clerk are exempt from this section. |
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(b-1) A county clerk or district clerk on request of a |
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person to whom this section applies shall redact information |
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described by Subsection (a) that relates to the person from any |
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document the clerk posts on an Internet website. |
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SECTION 5. Section 552.1175, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (e) and adding Subsection (e-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) This section applies only to: |
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(1) current or honorably retired peace officers as |
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defined by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or special |
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investigators as described by Article 2.122, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure; |
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(2) current or honorably retired county jailers as |
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defined by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code; |
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(3) current or former employees of the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice or of the predecessor in function of |
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the department or any division of the department; |
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(4) commissioned security officers as defined by |
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Section 1702.002, Occupations Code; |
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(5) a current or former district attorney, criminal |
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district attorney, or county or municipal attorney whose |
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jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child protective services |
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matters; |
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(5-a) a current or former employee of a district |
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attorney, criminal district attorney, or county or municipal |
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attorney whose jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child |
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protective services matters; |
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(6) officers and employees of a community supervision |
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and corrections department established under Chapter 76 who perform |
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a duty described by Section 76.004(b); |
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(7) criminal investigators of the United States as |
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described by Article 2.122(a), Code of Criminal Procedure; |
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(8) current or honorably retired police officers and |
|
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inspectors of the United States Federal Protective Service; |
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(9) current and former employees of the office of the |
|
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attorney general who are or were assigned to a division of that |
|
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office the duties of which involve law enforcement; |
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(10) current or former juvenile probation and |
|
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detention officers certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice |
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Department, or the predecessors in function of the department, |
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under Title 12, Human Resources Code; |
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(11) current or former employees of a juvenile justice |
|
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program or facility, as those terms are defined by Section 261.405, |
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Family Code; |
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(12) current or former employees of the Texas Juvenile |
|
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Justice Department or the predecessors in function of the |
|
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department; |
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(13) federal judges and state judges as defined by |
|
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Section 1.005, Election Code; |
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(14) current or former employees of the Texas Civil |
|
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Commitment Office or of the predecessor in function of the office or |
|
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a division of the office; |
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(15) a current or former member of the United States |
|
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Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, an auxiliary |
|
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service of one of those branches of the armed forces, or the Texas |
|
|
military forces, as that term is defined by Section 437.001; |
|
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(16) a current or former child protective services |
|
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caseworker, adult protective services caseworker, or investigator |
|
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for the Department of Family and Protective Services or a current or |
|
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former employee of a department contractor performing child |
|
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protective services caseworker, adult protective services |
|
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caseworker, or investigator functions for the contractor on behalf |
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of the department; |
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(17) an elected public officer; |
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(18) a firefighter or volunteer firefighter or |
|
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emergency medical services personnel as defined by Section 773.003, |
|
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Health and Safety Code; [and] |
|
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(19) a current or former United States attorney, |
|
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assistant United States attorney, federal public defender, deputy |
|
|
federal public defender, or assistant federal public defender; |
|
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(20) a current or former employee whose duties are |
|
|
performed on behalf of the administration of a court, including a |
|
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court clerk, court coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or |
|
|
staff attorney; and |
|
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(21) a current or former employee of the Office of |
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Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities |
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administratively attached to the office. |
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(e) Except as provided by Subsection (e-1), all [All] |
|
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documents filed with a county clerk and all documents filed with a |
|
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district clerk are exempt from this section. |
|
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(e-1) A county clerk or district clerk on request of a |
|
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person to whom this section applies shall redact information |
|
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described by Subsection (b) that relates to the person from any |
|
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document the clerk posts on an Internet website. |
|
|
SECTION 6. Section 25.025(a), Tax Code, is amended to read |
|
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as follows: |
|
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(a) This section applies only to: |
|
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(1) a current or former peace officer as defined by |
|
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Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, and the spouse or |
|
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surviving spouse of the peace officer; |
|
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(2) the adult child of a current peace officer as |
|
|
defined by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure; |
|
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(3) a current or honorably retired county jailer as |
|
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defined by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code; |
|
|
(4) an employee of the Texas Department of Criminal |
|
|
Justice; |
|
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(5) a commissioned security officer as defined by |
|
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Section 1702.002, Occupations Code; |
|
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(6) an individual who shows that the individual, the |
|
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individual's child, or another person in the individual's household |
|
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is a victim of family violence as defined by Section 71.004, Family |
|
|
Code, by providing: |
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(A) a copy of a protective order issued under |
|
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Chapter 85, Family Code, or a magistrate's order for emergency |
|
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protection issued under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure; |
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or |
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(B) other independent documentary evidence |
|
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necessary to show that the individual, the individual's child, or |
|
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another person in the individual's household is a victim of family |
|
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violence; |
|
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(7) an individual who shows that the individual, the |
|
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individual's child, or another person in the individual's household |
|
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is a victim of sexual assault or abuse, stalking, or trafficking of |
|
|
persons by providing: |
|
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(A) a copy of a protective order issued under |
|
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Subchapter A or B, Chapter 7B, Code of Criminal Procedure, or a |
|
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magistrate's order for emergency protection issued under Article |
|
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17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure; or |
|
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(B) other independent documentary evidence |
|
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necessary to show that the individual, the individual's child, or |
|
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another person in the individual's household is a victim of sexual |
|
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assault or abuse, stalking, or trafficking of persons; |
|
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(8) a participant in the address confidentiality |
|
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program administered by the attorney general under Subchapter B, |
|
|
Chapter 58, Code of Criminal Procedure, who provides proof of |
|
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certification under Article 58.059, Code of Criminal Procedure; |
|
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(9) a federal judge, a federal bankruptcy judge, a |
|
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marshal of the United States Marshals Service, a state judge, or a |
|
|
family member of a federal judge, a federal bankruptcy judge, a |
|
|
marshal of the United States Marshals Service, or a state judge; |
|
|
(10) a current or former district attorney, criminal |
|
|
district attorney, or county or municipal attorney whose |
|
|
jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child protective services |
|
|
matters; |
|
|
(11) a current or former employee of a district |
|
|
attorney, criminal district attorney, or county or municipal |
|
|
attorney whose jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child |
|
|
protective services matters; |
|
|
(12) an officer or employee of a community supervision |
|
|
and corrections department established under Chapter 76, |
|
|
Government Code, who performs a duty described by Section 76.004(b) |
|
|
of that code; |
|
|
(13) a criminal investigator of the United States as |
|
|
described by Article 2.122(a), Code of Criminal Procedure; |
|
|
(14) a current or honorably retired police officer or |
|
|
inspector of the United States Federal Protective Service; |
|
|
(15) a current or former United States attorney, |
|
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assistant United States attorney, federal public defender, deputy |
|
|
federal public defender, or assistant federal public defender and |
|
|
the spouse and child of the attorney or public defender; |
|
|
(16) a current or former employee of the office of the |
|
|
attorney general who is or was assigned to a division of that office |
|
|
the duties of which involve law enforcement; |
|
|
(17) a medical examiner or person who performs |
|
|
forensic analysis or testing who is employed by this state or one or |
|
|
more political subdivisions of this state; |
|
|
(18) a current or former member of the United States |
|
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armed forces who has served in an area that the president of the |
|
|
United States by executive order designates for purposes of 26 |
|
|
U.S.C. Section 112 as an area in which armed forces of the United |
|
|
States are or have engaged in combat; |
|
|
(19) a current or former employee of the Texas |
|
|
Juvenile Justice Department or of the predecessors in function of |
|
|
the department; |
|
|
(20) a current or former juvenile probation or |
|
|
supervision officer certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice |
|
|
Department, or the predecessors in function of the department, |
|
|
under Title 12, Human Resources Code; |
|
|
(21) a current or former employee of a juvenile |
|
|
justice program or facility, as those terms are defined by Section |
|
|
261.405, Family Code; |
|
|
(22) a current or former employee of the Texas Civil |
|
|
Commitment Office or the predecessor in function of the office or a |
|
|
division of the office; |
|
|
(23) a current or former employee of a federal judge or |
|
|
state judge; |
|
|
(24) a current or former child protective services |
|
|
caseworker, adult protective services caseworker, or investigator |
|
|
for the Department of Family and Protective Services or a current or |
|
|
former employee of a department contractor performing child |
|
|
protective services caseworker, adult protective services |
|
|
caseworker, or investigator functions for the contractor on behalf |
|
|
of the department; |
|
|
(25) an elected public officer; [and] |
|
|
(26) a firefighter or volunteer firefighter or |
|
|
emergency medical services personnel as defined by Section 773.003, |
|
|
Health and Safety Code; |
|
|
(27) a current or former employee whose duties are |
|
|
performed on behalf of the administration of a court, including a |
|
|
court clerk, court coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or |
|
|
staff attorney; and |
|
|
(28) a current or former employee of the Office of |
|
|
Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and entities |
|
|
administratively attached to the office. |
|
|
SECTION 7. Section 521.121, Transportation Code, is amended |
|
|
by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The driver's license must include: |
|
|
(1) a distinguishing number assigned by the department |
|
|
to the license holder; |
|
|
(2) a photograph of the entire face of the holder; |
|
|
(3) the full name and date of birth of the holder; |
|
|
(4) a brief description of the holder; and |
|
|
(5) the license holder's residence address or, for a |
|
|
license holder using the procedure under Subsection (c): |
|
|
(A) [,] the street address of the courthouse in |
|
|
which the license holder or license holder's spouse or parent: |
|
|
(i) serves as a federal judge, including a |
|
|
federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals |
|
|
Service, a United States attorney, or a state judge; or |
|
|
(ii) performs duties on behalf of the |
|
|
administration of a court, including a court clerk, court |
|
|
coordinator, court administrator, law clerk, or staff attorney; or |
|
|
(B) the office address of the office in which the |
|
|
license holder or the license holder's spouse or parent performs |
|
|
duties as an employee of the Office of Court Administration of the |
|
|
Texas Judicial System and entities administratively attached to the |
|
|
office. |
|
|
(c) The department shall establish a procedure, on a license |
|
|
holder's qualification for or appointment to office as a federal or |
|
|
state judge as defined by Section 1.005, Election Code, or as a |
|
|
federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals |
|
|
Service, [or] a United States attorney, or for a license holder |
|
|
whose duties are performed on behalf of the administration of a |
|
|
court, including a court clerk, court coordinator, court |
|
|
administrator, law clerk, or staff attorney, or as an employee of |
|
|
the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and |
|
|
entities administratively attached to the office, to omit the |
|
|
residence address of the judge, [or] official, or employee and any |
|
|
family member of the judge, [or] official, or employee on the |
|
|
license holder's license and to print [include], in lieu of that |
|
|
address, the street address of the courthouse or office building in |
|
|
which the license holder or license holder's spouse or parent |
|
|
serves as a federal or state judge, [or] official, or employee. |
|
|
(c-1) The residence address of a license holder whose |
|
|
residence address is omitted using the procedure under Subsection |
|
|
(c) is confidential and is available only for the official use of |
|
|
the department or a law enforcement agency. |
|
|
SECTION 8. Not later than November 1, 2024, the Department |
|
|
of Public Safety shall: |
|
|
(1) review the department's processes for |
|
|
implementation of and compliance with Section 521.121, |
|
|
Transportation Code, as amended by this Act; and |
|
|
(2) submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, |
|
|
the speaker of the house of representatives, each member of the |
|
|
legislature, and the Texas Judicial Council a written report |
|
|
containing the results of the review, a description of the methods |
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used to prepare the review, and any recommendations for legislative |
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or other action. |
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SECTION 9. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a request for information that is received by a governmental body or |
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an officer on or after the effective date of this Act. A request for |
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information that was received before the effective date of this Act |
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is governed by the law in effect on the date the request was |
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received, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1367 passed the Senate on |
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April 27, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2; and that |
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the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 27, 2023, by the |
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following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1367 passed the House, with |
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amendment, on May 24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 134, |
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Nays 4, one present not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |