Certain council, crime stoppers, school, and law enforcement personnel must not knowingly or intentionally disclose a tip submitter’s identity or tip content without consent, unless an exception applies.
Sec. 414.009. MISUSE OF INFORMATION. (a) A person who is a member or employee of the council, a crime stoppers organization, a law enforcement agency, a school district, or an open-enrollment charter school or who accepts a tip under Section 414.0015(a) on behalf of the council or a crime stoppers organization commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly discloses to a person not a member of or employed by the council, a crime stoppers organization, a law enforcement agency, a school district, or an open-enrollment charter school the identity of a person who submitted a tip or the content of that tip without the person's consent, unless: (1) the person disclosing the information has received authorization to disclose the information from the chief executive of the crime stoppers organization that originally received the tip, and the chief executive has reasonably determined that failing to disclose the identity of a person who submitted the tip creates a probability of imminent physical injury to another; or (2) the disclosure is otherwise required by law or court order. (b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, except that an offense under this section is a third degree felony if the offense is committed with intent to obtain monetary gain or other benefit. (c) A person convicted of an offense under this section is not eligible for state employment during the five-year period following the date that the conviction becomes final. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 700, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1560, Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1172 (H.B. 3316), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2019.