Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 552.308. TIMELINESS OF ACTION BY UNITED STATES MAIL, INTERAGENCY MAIL, OR COMMON OR CONTRACT CARRIER. (a) Except as provided by Section 552.3031, when this subchapter requires a request, notice, or other document to be submitted or otherwise given to a person within a specif…

Sec. 552.309. TIMELINESS OF ACTION BY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION. (a) When this subchapter requires a request, notice, or other document to be submitted or otherwise given to the attorney general within a specified period, the requirement is met in a timely fashion if the document is …

Sec. 552.310. SEARCHABLE DATABASE. (a) The office of the attorney general shall make available on the office's Internet website an easily accessible and searchable database consisting of: (1) information identifying each request for an attorney general decision made under this su…

Sec. 552.321. SUIT FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS. (a) A requestor or the attorney general may file suit for a writ of mandamus compelling a governmental body to make information available for public inspection if the governmental body refuses to request an attorney general's decision as p…

Sec. 552.3215. DECLARATORY JUDGMENT OR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF. (a) In this section: (1) "Complainant" means a person who claims to be the victim of a violation of this chapter. (2) "State agency" means a board, commission, department, office, or other agency that: (A) is in the execut…

Sec. 552.322. DISCOVERY OF INFORMATION UNDER PROTECTIVE ORDER PENDING FINAL DETERMINATION. In a suit filed under this chapter, the court may order that the information at issue may be discovered only under a protective order until a final determination is made. Added by Acts 1993…

Sec. 552.3221. IN CAMERA INSPECTION OF INFORMATION. (a) In any suit filed under this chapter, the information at issue may be filed with the court for in camera inspection as is necessary for the adjudication of the case. (b) Upon receipt of the information at issue for in camera…

Sec. 552.323. ASSESSMENT OF COSTS OF LITIGATION AND REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES. (a) In an action brought under Section 552.321 or 552.3215, the court shall assess costs of litigation and reasonable attorney fees incurred by a plaintiff who substantially prevails, except that the co…

Sec. 552.324. SUIT BY GOVERNMENTAL BODY. (a) The only suit a governmental body may file seeking to withhold information from a requestor is a suit that: (1) is filed in a Travis County district court against the attorney general in accordance with Section 552.325; and (2) seeks d…

Sec. 552.325. PARTIES TO SUIT SEEKING TO WITHHOLD INFORMATION. (a) A governmental body, officer for public information, or other person or entity that files a suit seeking to withhold information from a requestor may not file suit against the person requesting the information. Th…

Sec. 552.326. FAILURE TO RAISE EXCEPTIONS BEFORE ATTORNEY GENERAL. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the only exceptions to required disclosure within Subchapter C that a governmental body may raise in a suit filed under this chapter are exceptions that the governmental b…

Sec. 552.327. DISMISSAL OF SUIT DUE TO REQUESTOR'S WITHDRAWAL OR ABANDONMENT OF REQUEST. A court may dismiss a suit challenging a decision of the attorney general brought in accordance with this chapter if: (1) all parties to the suit agree to the dismissal; and (2) the attorney …

Sec. 552.328. FAILURE TO RESPOND TO REQUESTOR. (a) If a governmental body fails to respond to a requestor as required by Section 552.221, the requestor may send a written complaint to the attorney general. (b) The complaint must include: (1) the original request for information; …

Sec. 552.351. DESTRUCTION, REMOVAL, OR ALTERATION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) A person commits an offense if the person wilfully destroys, mutilates, removes without permission as provided by this chapter, or alters public information. (b) An offense under this section is a misdem…

Sec. 552.352. DISTRIBUTION OR MISUSE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. (a) A person commits an offense if the person distributes information considered confidential under the terms of this chapter. (a-1) An officer or employee of a governmental body who obtains access to confidential …

Sec. 552.353. FAILURE OR REFUSAL OF OFFICER FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO OR COPYING OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) An officer for public information, or the officer's agent, commits an offense if, with criminal negligence, the officer or the officer's agent fails or re…

Sec. 552.371. CERTAIN ENTITIES REQUIRED TO PROVIDE CONTRACTING INFORMATION TO GOVERNMENTAL BODY IN CONNECTION WITH REQUEST. (a) This section applies to an entity that is not a governmental body that executes a contract with a governmental body that: (1) has a stated expenditure o…

Sec. 552.372. BIDS AND CONTRACTS. (a) A contract described by Section 552.371 must require a contracting entity to: (1) preserve all contracting information related to the contract as provided by the records retention requirements applicable to the governmental body for the durat…

Sec. 552.373. NONCOMPLIANCE WITH PROVISION OF SUBCHAPTER. A governmental body that is the party to a contract described by Section 552.371 shall provide notice to the entity that is a party to the contract if the entity fails to comply with a requirement of this subchapter applic…

Sec. 552.374. TERMINATION OF CONTRACT FOR NONCOMPLIANCE. (a) Subject to Subsection (c), a governmental body may terminate a contract described by Section 552.371 if: (1) the governmental body provides notice under Section 552.373 to the entity that is party to the contract; (2) t…

Sec. 552.375. OTHER CONTRACT PROVISIONS. Nothing in this subchapter prevents a governmental body from including and enforcing more stringent requirements in a contract to increase accountability or transparency. Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1216 (S.B. 943), Sec. 9, ef…

Sec. 552.376. CAUSE OF ACTION NOT CREATED. This subchapter does not create a cause of action to contest a bid for or the award of a contract with a governmental body. Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1216 (S.B. 943), Sec. 9, eff. January 1, 2020. SUBCHAPTER K. SPECIAL RIG…

Sec. 552.401. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Member of a governing board" means any individual who is appointed, designated, or elected to direct or serve on a board or other group of individuals that directs a governmental body or a nongovernmental entity, including a mem…

Sec. 552.402. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter does not apply to the legislature or a legislative agency created by Subtitle C, Title 3. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1045 (H.B. 4310), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2025.

Sec. 552.403. SPECIAL RIGHT OF ACCESS FOR MEMBER OF GOVERNING BOARD. (a) A member of the governing board of a governmental body or nongovernmental entity may inspect, duplicate, or inspect and duplicate public information maintained by the governmental body or the nongovernmental…

Sec. 552.404. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. (a) A governmental body or a nongovernmental entity that has been requested to provide information under this subchapter may request the member of a governing board who is receiving public information that is confidential under law to sign …

Sec. 552.405. DETERMINATION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL. (a) A member of a governing board who has received a request under Section 552.404(a) to sign a confidentiality agreement may seek a decision about whether the information covered by the confidentiality agreement is confidential un…

Sec. 552.406. WRIT OF MANDAMUS. (a) If a governmental body or nongovernmental entity fails or refuses to comply with an applicable requirement of this subchapter, a member of a governing board who made a request under Section 552.403 may file a motion, petition, or other appropri…

Sec. 552.407. INFORMATION OBTAINABLE UNDER OTHER LAW. This subchapter does not affect: (1) the procedures under which information may be obtained under other law; or (2) the use that may be made of information obtained under other law. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 104…