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HB 7005

OGSR/Persons Provided Public Emergency Shelter

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Johanna López and 1 co-sponsor

HB 7005 reenacts and preserves an open records exemption for the address and phone number of individuals provided public emergency shelter during storms or disasters.

Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 7000
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Bill Summary · HB 7005

HB 7005 — OGSR: Persons Provided Public Emergency Shelter

Sponsor: Rep. Weinberger
Filed: November 5, 2025
Status: Now in State Affairs Committee (reported favorably by Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee 15-0; reported favorably earlier in committee votes)
Subject: Military affairs and related matters / Open Government Sunset Review

Purpose / Intent

HB 7005 would reenact (save from repeal) an existing public-records exemption that protects the address and telephone number of individuals who are provided public emergency shelter during a storm or catastrophic event. The exemption was created under the Open Government Sunset Review (OGSR) process and is scheduled to automatically repeal unless the Legislature acts.

Key provisions

  • Repeals the scheduled automatic repeal and thus preserves the public-records exemption for:
    • The address and telephone number of a person provided public emergency shelter during a storm or catastrophic event.
    • The exemption applies to those records when held by an agency that provided the emergency shelter.
  • Effective date: upon becoming law (if enacted).
  • If the bill is not enacted, the exemption will repeal on October 2, 2026 (the OGSR sunset date).
  • Fiscal/economic impact: none reported.

Background / Rationale

  • The original exemption was enacted in 2021. The accompanying public necessity statement argued that releasing shelter residents’ addresses and phone numbers could enable criminals or others to exploit vulnerable people during or after emergencies, and that protecting this information encourages people to seek shelter without sacrificing privacy.
  • Under the OGSR Act, exemptions automatically expire five years after creation unless the Legislature reenacts them. Reenactment that does not expand the scope of the exemption does not require a new public necessity statement or a two-thirds legislative vote.

Who is affected

  • Individuals who use public emergency shelters (their address and phone number are shielded from public disclosure when held by a shelter-providing agency).
  • Public agencies that provide shelters (e.g., local emergency management agencies, facilities used as shelters, and the Division of Emergency Management insofar as it holds such records) — these agencies will continue to be able to maintain the records as exempt from public disclosure.
  • The public, media, and researchers — access to the specific address and telephone data of shelter residents will remain restricted.

Procedural / Timeline notes

  • Introduced Nov 5, 2025; referred to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee and State Affairs Committee.
  • Reported favorably out of Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee (unanimous); currently in State Affairs Committee as of Dec 3, 2025.
  • If enacted, the exemption remains in force immediately upon the bill becoming law; otherwise it expires Oct 2, 2026.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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