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 subsection, "promptly" means as soon as possible under the circumstances, that is, within a reasonable time, without delay.
(b) An officer for public information complies with Subsection (a) by:
(1) providing the public information for inspection or duplication in the offices of the governmental body; or
(2) sending copies of the public information by first class United States mail if the person requesting the information requests that copies be provided and pays the postage and any other applicable charges that the requestor has accrued under Subchapter F.
(b-1) In addition to the methods of production described by Subsection (b), an officer for public information for a political subdivision of this state complies with Subsection (a) by referring a requestor to an exact Internet location or uniform resource locator (URL) address on a website maintained by the political subdivision and accessible to the public if the requested information is identifiable and readily available on that website. If the person requesting the information prefers a manner other than access through the URL, the political subdivision must supply the information in the manner required by Subsection (b).
(b-2) If an officer for public information for a political subdivision provides by e-mail an Internet location or uniform resource locator (URL) address as permitted by Subsection (b-1), the e-mail must contain a statement in a conspicuous font clearly indicating that the requestor may nonetheless access the requested information by inspection or duplication or by receipt through United States mail, as provided by Subsection (b).
(c) If the requested information is unavailable at the time of the request to examine because it is in active use or in storage, the officer for public information shall certify this fact in writing to the requestor and set a date and hour within a reasonable time when the information will be available for inspection or duplication.
(d) If an officer for public information cannot produce public information for inspection or duplication within 10 business days after the date the information is requested under Subsection (a), the officer shall certify that fact in writing to the requestor and set a date and hour within a reasonable time when the information will be available for inspection or duplication.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 1035, Sec. 15, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1231, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1319, Sec. 12, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 791, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 692 (H.B. 685), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.
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