Sec. 826.0211. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION IN RABIES VACCINATION CERTIFICATE; CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) Information contained in a rabies vaccination certificate or in any record compiled from the information contained in one or more certificates that identifies or tends to identify an owner or an address, telephone number, or other personally identifying information of an owner of a vaccinated animal is confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code. The information contained in the certificate or record may not include the social security number or the driver's license number of the owner of the vaccinated animal.
(b) The information may be disclosed only to a governmental entity or a person that, under a contract with a governmental entity, provides animal control services or animal registration services for the governmental entity for purposes related to the protection of public health and safety. A governmental entity or person that receives the information, including a county or municipality that registers dogs and cats under Subchapter D, must maintain the confidentiality of the information, may not disclose the information under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may not use the information for a purpose that does not directly relate to the protection of public health and safety.
(c) A person commits an offense if the person distributes information that is confidential under this section. An offense under this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by:
(1) a fine of not more than $1,000;
(2) confinement in the county jail for not more than 180 days; or
(3) both the fine and confinement.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1069, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1235 (H.B. 1426), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 686 (H.B. 1728), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.
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