Privacy Digest

Waxahachie Daily Light - News - House bill aimed at protecting privacy: "AUSTIN -- State Rep. Richard Pena Raymond, D-Laredo, introduced legislation Friday that would immediately move the Texas Data Exchange database out of Gov. Rick Perry's office and into the Texas Department of Public Safety.

In a press release, Raymond said an investigative report by the Austin-based Texas Observer disclosed that Perry's office has spent more than $3.6 million to create an extensive centralized database -- TDEx -- containing detailed personal information 'on thousands or perhaps millions' of Texans.

'It is imperative that this information be retrieved and be secured within the DPS. It should not be used until guidelines are determined to protect the privacy rights of the Texans included in the governor's improper data file,' Raymond said.
A request for comment to the Governor's office about the Observer article and Raymond's proposed legislation was not returned by press time.

House Bill 4108 was introduced in the House after Raymond's motion to suspend the House Rules to introduce passed unanimously. It has been referred to the Law Enforcement Committee.

Raymond's bill would designate the Texas Department of Public Safety as the only state agency or state governmental entity that is authorized to develop, maintain, operate and control access to the Texas Data Exchange or any other similar comprehensive intelligence database. It requires that all data collected by Perry's office be transferred to DPS.
The news of such a database under the governor's direction has raised concerns among political writers such as Peter Stern of Driftwood.

'HB4108 details that all state homeland security operations and support actions come under the direct authority of the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas,' Stern wrote in an e-mail to the Daily Light. '(Raymond's) bill is a more intelligent, practical and democratic resolve in that the power of gathering, reviewing and responding to intelligence information is the responsibility of a state agency already authorized to provide the Texas community with safety and security operations and support.'"

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