HBA-MPM H.B. 692 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 692 By: Janek Public Health 2/22/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, anyone may obtain a physician's social security number by calling the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, a practice which may make a physician susceptible to fraud. The attorney general has ruled that a social security number is not considered confidential data, although current state law provides protection for an individual's social security number by labeling it as "personal information," thus qualifying it as confidential. H.B. 692 provides for the confidentiality of the social security number of an applicant for or holder of a license to practice medicine. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Article 4495b, V.T.C.S. by adding Section 5.12, as follows: Sec. 5.12. CONFIDENTIALITY OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. Provides that the social security number provided to the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners by an applicant for or holder of a license to practice medicine is confidential and not subject to disclosure under the open records law. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.