Bill

HB 528

83(R) - 2013
Criminal Justice

Vote Recommendation

Yes
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Positive

Author(s)

Sylvester Turner

Bill Caption

Relating to the restriction of access to the records and files of a child charged with or convicted of certain fine-only misdemeanor offenses.

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal impact is anticipated on the State or local governments.

Bill Analysis

Summary: Under current law, the records of a child convicted of a fine-only misdemeanor, other than a traffic offense, are confidential and unable to be disclosed to the public. However, the records of a child who has been charged with or who is appealing such a case are not protected. HB 528 seeks to close this loophole.

  • This bill makes the records of a child who appeals a conviction of a fine-only misdemeanor other than a traffic violation confidential.
  • This bill makes the records of a child who is charged with a fine-only misdemeanor other than a traffic violation confidential.

Analysis: Ensuring that only relevant individuals can access a child's records is important. It prevents the child's right to privacy from being violated. This bill deals with fine-only misdemeanors which are very low-level violations. For these reasons, we recommend voting yes on HB 528.

Amendment: The following prefiled amendment was issued. TPPA is neutral on this amendment.

Turner 830855 Neutral