Summary — HB 7009: OGSR / Public Safety Communication Systems

Status: Introduced Feb 20, 2025. HB 7009 was laid on the table in the House; its companion, SB 7006, was enacted as Ch. 2025‑90 (approved by the Governor May 23, 2025, effective that date). Sponsor: Rep. Greco (primary); Government Operations Subcommittee (sponsor committee).

Main purpose

To reenact and expand existing public‑record and public‑meeting exemptions that protect sensitive information used in planning, building, and maintaining emergency communications infrastructure — specifically to add Next Generation 911 (NG911) infrastructure to the existing protections for 911, E911, and public‑safety radio systems.

Key provisions

• Expands the existing public record exemption to cover records that reveal structural elements or locations of 911, E911, NG911, or other public‑safety radio communication infrastructure, including:
  • Building plans, blueprints, schematic drawings, and diagrams (draft, preliminary, and final) depicting towers, antennas, equipment, facilities, or other structural elements; and
  • Geographical maps showing actual or proposed locations of such infrastructure.
• Limits permitted disclosures to three circumstances (with the condition that recipients must maintain the information’s exempt status):
  1. To another governmental entity when necessary for performance of official duties;
  2. To a licensed architect, contractor, or engineer performing work on or related to the infrastructure; or
  3. Upon a showing of good cause before a court of competent jurisdiction.
• Expands the public‑meeting exemption to allow closing any portion of a meeting that would reveal the protected records.
• Includes the constitutionally required public necessity statement asserting that release of such information could facilitate criminal or terrorist attacks (including cybercrime, arson, or other actions) that would disrupt emergency communications.

Who is affected

• State agencies, counties, municipalities, E911/NG911 governance bodies, and other public entities that own, operate, or plan emergency communications infrastructure.
• Private contractors, architects, and engineers engaged in planning, construction, or maintenance (they may receive but must keep records confidential).
• Members of the public and transparency advocates (access to specific plans/maps will be restricted except in the limited circumstances above).

Fiscal impact

None reported.

Timeline and procedural notes

• The expansion is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act: the exemptions will automatically repeal on October 2, 2030, unless reenacted by the Legislature.
• Because the bill expands public‑records/meeting exemptions, a two‑thirds legislative vote is constitutionally required for passage (applies to creation/expansion of such exemptions). SB 7006 — the companion — was enacted as chapter 2025‑90 on May 23, 2025 and became law on that date.