The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to establish confidentiality for tier two forms listing hazardous chemicals held by political subdivisions in Texas. Specifically, it introduces new provisions that classify these forms as confidential and not subject to public disclosure under Chapter 552 of the Government Code, with certain exceptions. A political subdivision may only release a tier two form or its information if it has been made publicly available by the commission or if the information only identifies a class of dangerous goods as per the hazard classification system in the 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook published by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing language in Sections 505.006, 506.006, and 507.006 of the Health and Safety Code to reflect these changes. The amendments clarify that, except for the new confidentiality provisions, documents filed under these sections remain subject to Chapter 552. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 505.006, Health and Safety Code 506.006, Health and Safety Code 507.006 (Health and Safety Code 507, Health and Safety Code 506, Health and Safety Code 505)