| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the production of public information under the public |
|
|
information law. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 552.221, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
|
|
(b-1) In addition to the methods of production described by |
|
|
Subsection (b), an officer for public information complies with |
|
|
Subsection (a) by referring a requestor to a website maintained by |
|
|
the governmental body and accessible to the public if the requested |
|
|
information is identifiable and readily available on that website. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 552, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 552.233 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 552.233. RESPONDING TO REQUESTS FOR COPYRIGHTED |
|
|
INFORMATION. (a) An officer for public information complies with |
|
|
Section 552.221(a) by producing for inspection requested |
|
|
information that is protected by copyright law. |
|
|
(b) An officer for public information is not required to |
|
|
furnish copies of copyrighted information and may refuse to furnish |
|
|
such copies without the necessity of requesting a decision from the |
|
|
attorney general under Subchapter G. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 182.052, Utilities Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
|
|
(e) A governmental body as defined by Section 552.003, |
|
|
Government Code, may withhold information prohibited from being |
|
|
disclosed under this section without the necessity of requesting a |
|
|
decision from the attorney general under Subchapter G, Chapter 552, |
|
|
Government Code. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
a request for information that is received by a governmental body or |
|
|
an officer for public information on or after the effective date of |
|
|
this Act. A request for information that was received before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
|
|
date the request was received, and the former law is continued in |
|
|
effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |