ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM

(a) In order to provide for disease control and enhance the ability to trace disease-infected animals or animals that have been exposed to disease, the commission may develop and implement an animal identification program that is no more stringent than a federal animal disease traceability or other federal animal identification program. (b) Repealed by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 181, Sec. 2, eff. May 25, 2013. (c) The commission may adopt rules to require the use of official identification as part of the animal identification program under Subsection (a) for animal disease control or animal emergency management. (d) The commission may by a two-thirds vote adopt rules to provide for an animal identification program more stringent than a program allowed by Subsection (a) only for control of a specific animal disease or for animal emergency management. (e) Information collected by the commission under this section is exempt from the public disclosure requirements of Chapter 552, Government Code. The commission may provide information to another person, including a governmental entity, without altering the confidential status of the information. The commission may release information to: (1) a person who owns or controls animals and seeks information regarding those animals, if the person requests the information in writing; (2) the attorney general's office, for the purpose of law enforcement; (3) the secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, for the purpose of animal health protection; (4) the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, for the purpose of homeland security; (5) the Department of State Health Services, for the purpose of protecting the public health from zoonotic diseases; (6) any person, under an order of a court of competent jurisdiction; (7) a state, municipal, or county emergency management authority, for the purpose of management or response to natural or man-made disasters; or (8) any person the executive director of the commission considers appropriate, if the executive director determines that: (A) livestock may be threatened by a disease, agent, or pest; and (B) the release of the information is related to actions the commission may take under this section. (f) Notwithstanding Subsection (e), the commission shall release information collected under this section if the release is necessary for emergency management purposes under Chapter 418, Government Code. The release of information under this subsection does not alter the confidential status of the information. (g) Repealed by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 181, Sec. 2, eff. May 25, 2013. (h) Repealed by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 181, Sec. 2, eff. May 25, 2013. (i) The commission may adopt rules necessary to implement and enforce this section.