Sec. 552.147. SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), the social security number of a living person is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021, but is not confidential under this section and this section does not make the social security number of a living person confidential under another provision of this chapter or other law.

(a-1) The social security number of an employee of a school district in the custody of the district is confidential.

(b) A governmental body may redact the social security number of a living person from any information the governmental body discloses under Section 552.021 without the necessity of requesting a decision from the attorney general under Subchapter G.

(c) Notwithstanding any other law, a county or district clerk may disclose in the ordinary course of business a social security number that is contained in information held by the clerk's office, and that disclosure is not official misconduct and does not subject the clerk to civil or criminal liability of any kind under the law of this state, including any claim for damages in a lawsuit or the criminal penalty imposed by Section 552.352.

(d) Unless another law requires a social security number to be maintained in a government document, on written request from an individual or the individual's representative the clerk shall redact within a reasonable amount of time all but the last four digits of the individual's social security number from information maintained in the clerk's official public records, including electronically stored information maintained by or under the control of the clerk. The individual or the individual's representative must identify, using a form provided by the clerk, the specific document or documents from which the partial social security number shall be redacted.

Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 397 (S.B. 1485), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2005.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 2061), Sec. 1, eff. March 28, 2007.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 183 (H.B. 2961), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013.