1. Governing Relations
The procedure is governed by the Public Information Act (Chapter 552 of the Government Code); Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 70 Cost of Copies of Public Information; System Policy 61.01 Public Information Act Compliance; and System Regulation 61.01.02 Public Information.
Additional information is available from the Public Information Act Handbook or by calling the Office of the Attorney General, Open Records Division hotline at (877) 673-6839.
2. Officer for Public Information
2.1 The Director is the officer for public information.
2.2 The Director has appointed the Policy & Review Coordinator in the Office of Administration to serve as the public information coordinator. The Compliance Coordinator in the Office of Administration serves as the back-up public information coordinator.
2.3 Each department head is an agent for the officer for public information.
3. Definition
An open records request is subject to the Public Information Act if (1) it is written, and (2) it requests information already in existence.
4. Submission of Open Records Requests
An open records request to the agency must be in writing and submitted to the public information coordinator by one of the following methods: hard delivery, U.S. Mail. email or the agency’s electronic open records portal. Further details and links are provided on the agency’s Open Records Request webpage. No employee may ask why a requestor wants public information.
5. Processing
5.1 The public information coordinator will evaluate whether the requested information is subject to disclosure and will seek an opinion from the Attorney General through the Office of General Counsel if needed. The public information coordinator will prepare all appropriate communications with both the Office of General Counsel and the requestor.
5.2 The public information coordinator will identify the custodian of the requested information, receive copies of the information from the custodian, review the information, and provide the appropriate response to the requestor.
5.3 The public information coordinator will complete and submit the monthly report of open record requests to the Attorney General.
6. Charges for Copies of Public Information
6.1 A requestor may be charged for copies of the records. The custodian of the requested information will provide charge information based on the Attorney General Charge Schedule in conjunction with providing copies of the records to the public information coordinator.
6.2 The agency waives charges of less than $15.
6.3 Charges of $15 or more are collected from the requestor of the requested information. These funds are included in the next bank deposit submitted to the Budgets and Accounting Department and credited to object code 0728 in an operating account for the custodian’s office.