Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 552.221. APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION; PRODUCTION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) An officer for public information of a governmental body shall promptly produce public information for inspection, duplication, or both on application by any person to the officer. In this sub…

Sec. 552.2211. PRODUCTION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION WHEN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES CLOSED. (a) Except as provided by Section 552.233, if a governmental body closes its physical offices, but requires staff to work, including remotely, then the governmental body shall make a good faith ef…

Sec. 552.222. PERMISSIBLE INQUIRY BY GOVERNMENTAL BODY TO REQUESTOR. (a) The officer for public information and the officer's agent may not make an inquiry of a requestor except to establish proper identification or except as provided by Subsection (b), (c), or (c-1). (b) If what…

Sec. 552.223. UNIFORM TREATMENT OF REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION. The officer for public information or the officer's agent shall treat all requests for information uniformly without regard to the position or occupation of the requestor, the person on whose behalf the request is made,…

Sec. 552.224. COMFORT AND FACILITY. The officer for public information or the officer's agent shall give to a requestor all reasonable comfort and facility for the full exercise of the right granted by this chapter. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 19…

Sec. 552.225. TIME FOR EXAMINATION. (a) A requestor must complete the examination of the information not later than the 10th business day after the date the custodian of the information makes it available. If the requestor does not complete the examination of the information with…

Sec. 552.226. REMOVAL OF ORIGINAL RECORD. This chapter does not authorize a requestor to remove an original copy of a public record from the office of a governmental body. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 103…

Sec. 552.227. RESEARCH OF STATE LIBRARY HOLDINGS NOT REQUIRED. An officer for public information or the officer's agent is not required to perform general research within the reference and research archives and holdings of state libraries. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, …

Sec. 552.228. PROVIDING SUITABLE COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION WITHIN REASONABLE TIME. (a) It shall be a policy of a governmental body to provide a suitable copy of public information within a reasonable time after the date on which the copy is requested. (b) If public information e…

Sec. 552.229. CONSENT TO RELEASE INFORMATION UNDER SPECIAL RIGHT OF ACCESS. (a) Consent for the release of information excepted from disclosure to the general public but available to a specific person under Sections 552.023 and 552.307 must be in writing and signed by the specifi…

Sec. 552.230. RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR INSPECTION AND COPYING OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) A governmental body may promulgate reasonable rules of procedure under which public information may be inspected and copied efficiently, safely, and without delay. (b) A rule promulgated under …

Sec. 552.231. RESPONDING TO REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION THAT REQUIRE PROGRAMMING OR MANIPULATION OF DATA. (a) A governmental body shall provide to a requestor the written statement described by Subsection (b) if the governmental body determines: (1) that responding to a request for …

Sec. 552.232. RESPONDING TO REPETITIOUS OR REDUNDANT REQUESTS. (a) A governmental body that determines that a requestor has made a request for information for which the governmental body has previously furnished copies to the requestor or made copies available to the requestor on…

Sec. 552.2325. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR GOVERNMENTAL BODY IMPACTED BY CATASTROPHE. (a) In this section: (1) "Catastrophe" means a condition or occurrence that directly interferes with the ability of a governmental body to comply with the requirements of this chapt…

Sec. 552.233. OWNERSHIP OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) A current or former officer or employee of a governmental body does not have, by virtue of the officer's or employee's position or former position, a personal or property right to public information the officer or employee create…

Sec. 552.234. METHOD OF MAKING WRITTEN REQUEST FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) A person may make a written request for public information under this chapter only by delivering the request by one of the following methods to the applicable officer for public information or a person des…

Sec. 552.235. PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST FORM. (a) The attorney general shall create a public information request form that provides a requestor the option of excluding from a request information that the governmental body determines is: (1) confidential; or (2) subject to an exc…

Sec. 552.261. CHARGE FOR PROVIDING COPIES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) The charge for providing a copy of public information shall be an amount that reasonably includes all costs related to reproducing the public information, including costs of materials, labor, and overhead. If a …

Sec. 552.2615. REQUIRED ITEMIZED ESTIMATE OF CHARGES. (a) If a request for a copy of public information will result in the imposition of a charge under this subchapter that exceeds $40, or a request to inspect a paper record will result in the imposition of a charge under Section…

Sec. 552.262. RULES OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. (a) The attorney general shall adopt rules for use by each governmental body in determining charges for providing copies of public information under this subchapter and in determining the charge, deposit, or bond required for making pu…

Sec. 552.263. BOND FOR PAYMENT OF COSTS OR CASH PREPAYMENT FOR PREPARATION OF COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) An officer for public information or the officer's agent may require a deposit or bond for payment of anticipated costs for the preparation of a copy of public informatio…

Sec. 552.264. COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTED BY MEMBER OF LEGISLATURE. One copy of public information that is requested from a state agency by a member, agency, or committee of the legislature under Section 552.008 shall be provided without charge. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd …

Sec. 552.265. CHARGE FOR PAPER COPY PROVIDED BY DISTRICT OR COUNTY CLERK. The charge for providing a paper copy made by a district or county clerk's office shall be the charge provided by Chapter 51 of this code, Chapter 118, Local Government Code, or other applicable law. Added …

Sec. 552.266. CHARGE FOR COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION PROVIDED BY MUNICIPAL COURT CLERK. The charge for providing a copy made by a municipal court clerk shall be the charge provided by municipal ordinance. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended …

Sec. 552.2661. CHARGE FOR COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION PROVIDED BY SCHOOL DISTRICT. A school district that receives a request to produce public information for inspection or publication or to produce copies of public information in response to a requestor who, within the preceding …

Sec. 552.267. WAIVER OR REDUCTION OF CHARGE FOR PROVIDING COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) A governmental body shall provide a copy of public information without charge or at a reduced charge if the governmental body determines that waiver or reduction of the charge is in the publ…

Sec. 552.268. EFFICIENT USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES. A governmental body shall make reasonably efficient use of supplies and other resources to avoid excessive reproduction costs. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch.…

Sec. 552.269. OVERCHARGE OR OVERPAYMENT FOR COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) A person who believes the person has been overcharged for being provided with a copy of public information may complain to the attorney general in writing of the alleged overcharge, setting forth the reas…

Sec. 552.270. CHARGE FOR GOVERNMENT PUBLICATION. (a) This subchapter does not apply to a publication that is compiled and printed by or for a governmental body for public dissemination. If the cost of the publication is not determined by state law, a governmental body may determi…

Sec. 552.271. INSPECTION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION IN PAPER RECORD IF COPY NOT REQUESTED. (a) If the requestor does not request a copy of public information, a charge may not be imposed for making available for inspection any public information that exists in a paper record, except a…

Sec. 552.272. INSPECTION OF ELECTRONIC RECORD IF COPY NOT REQUESTED. (a) In response to a request to inspect information that exists in an electronic medium and that is not available directly on-line to the requestor, a charge may not be imposed for access to the information, unl…

Sec. 552.274. REPORT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL ON COST OF COPIES. (a) The attorney general shall: (1) biennially update a report prepared by the attorney general about the charges made by state agencies for providing copies of public information; and (2) provide a copy of the updated r…

Sec. 552.275. REQUESTS THAT REQUIRE LARGE AMOUNTS OF EMPLOYEE OR PERSONNEL TIME. (a) A governmental body may establish reasonable monthly and yearly limits on the amount of time that personnel of the governmental body are required to spend producing public information for inspect…

Sec. 552.301. REQUEST FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL DECISION. (a) A governmental body that receives a written request for information that it wishes to withhold from public disclosure and that it considers to be within one of the exceptions under Subchapter C must ask for a decision from …

Sec. 552.302. FAILURE TO MAKE TIMELY REQUEST FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL DECISION; PRESUMPTION THAT INFORMATION IS PUBLIC. If a governmental body does not request an attorney general decision as provided by Section 552.301 and provide the requestor with the information required by Secti…

Sec. 552.303. DELIVERY OF REQUESTED INFORMATION TO ATTORNEY GENERAL; DISCLOSURE OF REQUESTED INFORMATION; ATTORNEY GENERAL REQUEST FOR SUBMISSION OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. (a) A governmental body that requests an attorney general decision under this subchapter shall supply to th…

Sec. 552.3031. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF REQUEST FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL DECISION. (a) This section does not apply to a request for an attorney general decision made under this subchapter if: (1) the governmental body requesting the decision: (A) has fewer than 16 full-time employees…

Sec. 552.3035. DISCLOSURE OF REQUESTED INFORMATION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL. The attorney general may not disclose to the requestor or the public any information submitted to the attorney general under Section 552.301(e)(1)(D). Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1319, Sec. 23, eff. Se…

Sec. 552.304. SUBMISSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS. (a) A person may submit written comments stating reasons why the information at issue in a request for an attorney general decision should or should not be released. (b) A person who submits written comments to the attorney general und…

Sec. 552.305. INFORMATION INVOLVING PRIVACY OR PROPERTY INTERESTS OF THIRD PARTY. (a) In a case in which information is requested under this chapter and a person's privacy or property interests may be involved, including a case under Section 552.101, 552.110, 552.1101, 552.114, 5…

Sec. 552.306. RENDITION OF ATTORNEY GENERAL DECISION; ISSUANCE OF WRITTEN OPINION. (a) Except as provided by Section 552.011, the attorney general shall promptly render a decision requested under this subchapter, consistent with the standards of due process, determining whether t…

Sec. 552.307. SPECIAL RIGHT OF ACCESS; ATTORNEY GENERAL DECISIONS. (a) If a governmental body determines that information subject to a special right of access under Section 552.023 is exempt from disclosure under an exception of Subchapter C, other than an exception intended to p…

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…