H.B. No. 59

	AN ACT
	relating to certain lottery prize winners' choice to remain
	anonymous.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 466.015, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
	(b-1)  The commission shall adopt rules governing
	nondisclosure of the personally identifiable information of
	certain lottery prize winners under Section 466.411.
	SECTION 2.  Section 466.022(b), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(b)  In addition to commission records excepted from
	disclosure under Chapter 552, the following information is
	confidential and is exempt from disclosure:
	(1)  security plans and procedures of the commission
	designed to ensure the integrity and security of the operation of
	the lottery;
	(2)  information of a nature that is designed to ensure
	the integrity and security of the selection of winning tickets or
	numbers in the lottery, other than information describing the
	general procedures for selecting winning tickets or numbers; [and]
	(3)  the street address and telephone number of a prize
	winner, if the prize winner has not consented to the release of the
	information; and
	(4)  except as otherwise authorized by Section 466.411,
	all personally identifiable information of a natural person who is:
	(A)  a lottery prize winner and who has chosen to
	remain anonymous under Section 466.411; or
	(B)  an owner of a beneficial interest in a legal
	entity that is a lottery prize winner and who has chosen to remain
	anonymous under Section 466.411.
	SECTION 3.  Subchapter I, Chapter 466, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 466.411 to read as follows:
	Sec. 466.411.  CHOICE BY CERTAIN PRIZE WINNERS TO REMAIN
	ANONYMOUS. (a)  Subject to Subsection (b), a natural person who is
	a prize winner of a lottery prize in an amount equal to $1 million or
	more, or who is an owner of a beneficial interest in a legal entity
	that is a prize winner of a lottery prize in an amount equal to $1
	million or more, may on the date the winner claims the prize choose
	to remain anonymous and prohibit all personally identifiable
	information from being released to the public.
	(b)  The commission may release or disclose the personally
	identifiable information of a natural person who is a lottery prize
	winner if the person chooses to have the prize paid in periodic
	installments.  The commission may only disclose the information on
	or after the 30th day after the date the person claims the lottery
	prize if the person chooses to remain anonymous under Subsection
	(a).
	(c)  For purposes of this section, the amount of a lottery
	prize is the total amount of prize money paid to a prize winner for a
	single lottery prize claim, whether paid in one payment or in
	periodic installments, before deducting any federal tax
	withholdings or other deductions required by law.
	(d)  This section does not prohibit release of a natural
	person prize winner's city or county of residence or prevent the
	commission from releasing the person's personally identifiable
	information to the Health and Human Services Commission or as
	necessary to comply with Section 466.407 or 466.4075.
	SECTION 4.  (a) Not later than December 1, 2017, the Texas
	Lottery Commission shall adopt the rules and procedures necessary
	to implement the changes in law made by this Act to Chapter 466,
	Government Code.
	(b)  Section 466.411, Government Code, as added by this Act,
	applies only to an initial claim for a lottery prize in an amount
	equal to $1 million or more that is submitted to the Texas Lottery
	Commission on or after January 1, 2018.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 59 was passed by the House on April
	25, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, 2 present, not
	voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 59 was passed by the Senate on May 24,
	2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED:  _____________________
	Date
	_____________________
	Governor