Sec. 411.115.  ACCESS TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION:  DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION; LOCAL AUTHORITIES; COMMUNITY CENTERS.  (a)  In this section, "local mental health authority," "local intellectual and developmental disability authority," and "community center" have the meanings assigned by Section 531.002, Health and Safety Code.
(b)  The Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center, as applicable, is entitled to obtain criminal history record information as provided by Subsection (c) that relates to a person:
(1)  who is:
(A)  an applicant for employment with the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center;
(B)  an employee of the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center;
(C)  an applicant for employment with or an employee of a business or person who contracts with the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center to provide residential services to patients with mental illness or clients with an intellectual or developmental disability who were furloughed or discharged from a Department of State Health Services facility, a Health and Human Services Commission facility, or a community center, as applicable;
(D)  a volunteer with the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center; or
(E)  a volunteer applicant; and
(2)  who would be placed in direct contact with patients with mental illness or clients with an intellectual or developmental disability.
(c)  Subject to Section 411.087 and consistent with the public policy of this state, the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center, as applicable, is entitled to:
(1)  obtain through the Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history record information maintained or indexed by that bureau that pertains to a person who is described by Subsection (b); and
(2)  obtain from the department or any other criminal justice agency in this state criminal history record information maintained by the department or that criminal justice agency that relates to a person described by Subsection (b).
(d)  The Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center, as applicable, may not release or disclose to any person criminal history record information obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Subsection (c)(1).  Criminal history record information obtained by the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center, as applicable, under Subsection (c)(2) may not be released or disclosed to a person, other than the contractor that employs the person who is the subject of the criminal history record information, except on court order or with the consent of the person who is the subject of the criminal history record information.
(e)  The Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center, as applicable, shall destroy criminal history record information obtained under this section after the information is used for its authorized purpose.
(f)  This section does not prohibit the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, a local mental health or intellectual and developmental disability authority, or a community center, as applicable, from obtaining and using criminal history record information as provided by other law.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 790, Sec. 35, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.  Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1209, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 296, Sec. 7, 13(2), eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 684 (S.B. 2200), Sec. 9, eff. June 10, 2019.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 871 (H.B. 4123), Sec. 36, eff. June 13, 2023.