Relating to an exemption from required disclosure of information related to the next of kin of deceased persons.
Summary
SB 2067 creates a new exception to Texas public information law for information relating to the next of kin of a deceased person. The bill amends Article 49.25 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to provide that this information is not subject to required public disclosure under Chapter 552 of the Government Code, which is Texas’s Public Information Act. At the same time, the bill preserves access to the information when disclosure is required by subpoena or other law.
The bill is narrowly focused on privacy for family members of decedents, likely in the context of death investigations, coroner/medical examiner records, and related governmental records. It does not broadly change open records law, but instead carves out a specific category of sensitive personal information from mandatory release. The bill applies prospectively to public information requests received on or after its effective date, with earlier requests governed by prior law.
Impact
SB 2067 would amend Texas law to exempt next-of-kin information of deceased persons from mandatory disclosure under the Public Information Act, while leaving room for release under subpoena or other legal authority. This would affect governmental bodies and public information officers that handle death-related records, including records governed by Article 49.25 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The bill would add a privacy protection for surviving family members and could limit what information is released in response to open records requests.
Sentiment
The available context suggests little to no opposition and a generally routine, privacy-oriented policy approach. The bill was referred to the Senate Business & Commerce Committee, and there are no recorded committee transcripts or votes indicating controversy. Overall, the measure appears to have been presented as a targeted clarification to protect sensitive family information rather than as a major change to public records policy.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. The main policy tension inherent in the bill is between public access under the Texas Public Information Act and privacy for surviving relatives of deceased persons. Any concerns would likely come from open-government advocates worried about narrowing disclosure, while supporters would emphasize protecting next-of-kin privacy and limiting unnecessary exposure of personal information.