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PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT Handbook 2020

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PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT Handbook 2020 THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT Handbook 2020 Dear Fellow Texans: In 1888, James Bryce wrote that sunlight kills the germs of corruption that can infect a government, and his words remain true today. As Attorney General, I make it a priority to encourage open government and to enforce the laws that mandate it when necessary. The Texas Public Information Act assures that government entities give citizens access to information about what public servants are doing on their behalf—information they need to gain a more complete understanding of how their government works and hold their public officials accountable. Texas government does not belong to elected officials, but to the people of Texas. This updated guide is intended to help both public officials and the people they serve understand and comply with the Texas Public Information Act. You can view or download the handbook by visiting www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/publicinfo_hb.pdf. Where further help is needed, my office’s Open Government Hotline is available to answer any questions about open government in Texas. The toll-free number is 877-OPEN TEX (877-673-6839). Texans have the right to see how their government is spending their tax dollars and exercising the powers they have granted it. That knowledge is essential to preserving the rule of law, protecting the democratic process, and defending the liberty we all cherish. The Public Information Act is a critical protection for that right, and I am proud to offer this guide in service of that goal. Best regards, Ken Paxton Attorney General of Texas TABLE OF CONTENTS A PREFACE TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION HANDBOOK .................................................................... i PART ONE: HOW THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT WORKS ............................................................. 1 I. OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................ 1 A. Historical Background ................................................................................................. 1 B. Policy; Construction ..................................................................................................... 1 C. Attorney General to Maintain Uniformity in Application, Operation and Interpretation of the Act ............................................................................................... 2 D. Section 552.021 ............................................................................................................ 2 E. Open Records Training ................................................................................................ 3 II. ENTITIES SUBJECT TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT ....................................................... 7 A. State and Local Governmental Bodies ........................................................................ 8 B. Private Entities.............................................................................................................. 8 1. Private Entities Supported by Public Funds .....................................................8 2. Private Entities Deemed Governmental Bodies by Statute ..............................8 C. Certain Property Owners’ Associations Subject to Act .............................................. 9 D. A Governmental Body Holding Records for Another Governmental Body ............ 10 E. Private Entities Holding Records for Governmental Bodies .................................... 10 F. Judiciary Excluded from the Public Information Act ............................................... 12 III. INFORMATION SUBJECT TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT ............................................ 14 A. Public Information is Contained in Records of All Forms ....................................... 14 B. Information Held by a Temporary Custodian ........................................................... 15 C. Exclusion of Tangible Items ...................................................................................... 15 D. Exclusion of Protected Health Information ............................................................... 16 E. Personal Notes and E-mail in Personal Accounts or Devices ................................... 16 F. Commercially Available Information ........................................................................ 18 IV. PROCEDURES FOR ACCESS TO PUBLIC INFORMATION ........................................................ 19 A. Informing the Public of Basic Rights and Responsibilities Under the Act .............. 19 B. The Request for Public Information .......................................................................... 19 C. The Governmental Body’s Duty to Produce Public Information Promptly ............. 22 D. The Requestor’s Right of Access............................................................................... 25 1. Right to Inspect ...............................................................................................27 2. Right to Obtain Copies ...................................................................................27 E. Computer and Electronic Information ....................................................................... 28 V. DISCLOSURE TO SELECTED PERSONS ................................................................................... 30 A. General Rule: Under the Public Information Act, Public Information is Available to All Members of the Public .................................................................... 30 B. Some Disclosures of Information to Selected Individuals or Entities Do Not Constitute Disclosures to the Public Under Section 552.007 ................................... 31 1. Special Rights of Access: Exceptions to Disclosure Expressly Inapplicable to a Specific Class of Persons ....................................................31 2. Intra- or Intergovernmental Transfers ............................................................34 3. Other Limited Disclosures That Do Not Implicate Section 552.007 ..............35 VI. ATTORNEY GENERAL DETERMINES WHETHER INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO AN EXCEPTION ................................................................................................................. 36 A. Duties of the Governmental Body and of the Attorney General Under Subchapter G .............................................................................................................. 36 B. Items the Governmental Body Must Submit to the Attorney General ..................... 40 1. Written Communication from the Person Requesting the Information ..........41 2. Information Requested from the Governmental Body ...................................41 3. Labeling Requested Information to Indicate Which Exceptions Apply to Which Parts of the Requested Information .................................................42 4. Statement or Evidence as to Date Governmental Body Received Written Request ..............................................................................................42 5. Letter from the Governmental Body Stating Which Exceptions Apply and Why ..........................................................................................................42 C. Section 552.302: Information Presumed Public if Submissions and Notification Required by Section 552.301 Are Not Timely ..................................... 43 D. Section 552.303: Attorney General Determination that Information in Addition to that Required by Section 552.301 Is Necessary to Render a Decision ...................................................................................................................... 44 E. Section 552.305: When the Requested Information Involves a Third Party’s Privacy or Property Interests ...................................................................................... 45 F. Section 552.3035: Attorney General Must Not Disclose Information at Issue ........................................................................................................................ 47 G. Section 552.304: Submission of Public Comments ................................................. 47 H. Rendition of Attorney General Decision ................................................................... 47 I. Timeliness of Action .................................................................................................. 48 VII. COST OF COPIES AND ACCESS ............................................................................................... 48 A. Charges for Copies of Paper Records and Printouts of Electronic Records ............. 49 B. Charges for Inspection of Paper Records and Electronic Records ........................... 51 C. Waivers or Reduction of Estimated Charges ............................................................ 52 D. Providing a Statement of Estimated Charges as Required by Law .......................... 52 E. Cost Provisions Regarding Requests Requiring a Large Amount of Personnel Time ........................................................................................................... 54 F. Complaints Regarding Alleged Overcharges ............................................................ 55 G. Cost Provisions Outside the Public Information Act ................................................ 55 VIII. PENALTIES AND REMEDIES .................................................................................................... 56 A. Informal Resolution of Complaints ..........................................................................
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