| 1 | 1 | | 88R20800 JON-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Vasut, et al. H.B. No. 613 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the imposition of charges by a governmental body for |
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| 8 | 8 | | providing copies of public information under the public information |
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| 9 | 9 | | law. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 552.261, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (f) A governmental body may not impose a charge under this |
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| 14 | 14 | | subchapter for providing a copy of public information if the |
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| 15 | 15 | | information is a report required to be filed with the governmental |
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| 16 | 16 | | body under Subchapter C or D, Chapter 254, Election Code, unless all |
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| 17 | 17 | | of those reports filed with the governmental body during the |
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| 18 | 18 | | preceding three years are available to the public on the |
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| 19 | 19 | | governmental body's Internet website. |
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| 20 | 20 | | SECTION 2. Section 552.269, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 21 | 21 | | adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) The attorney general may cancel or reduce any charge or |
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| 23 | 23 | | portion of a charge imposed by a governmental body under this |
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| 24 | 24 | | subchapter if the attorney general determines that the governmental |
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| 25 | 25 | | body: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1) has not maintained the requested information in |
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| 27 | 27 | | accordance with standard recordkeeping practices; or |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) failed to comply with this chapter with regard to |
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| 29 | 29 | | the request for public information for which the charge is imposed. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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| 31 | 31 | | a request for public information received by a governmental body or |
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| 32 | 32 | | officer for public information on or after the effective date of |
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| 33 | 33 | | this Act. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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