84R6210 TJB-D
By: Capriglione H.B. No. 2839
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.