Bill > SB919

This bill strengthens the Public Information Act (also known as the Open Records Act) by establishing clearer requirements for governmental bodies when responding to public information requests. Specifically, the bill mandates that if a governmental body has no responsive information to a request, they must notify the requester in writing within 10 business days. Similarly, if the governmental body determines that requested information can be withheld based on a previous determination, they must notify the requester in writing within 10 business days and specify the exact previous determination allowing the information to be withheld. The bill also introduces a new complaint mechanism where if a governmental body fails to properly respond to a request, the requester can file a complaint with the attorney general. In such cases, the attorney general can require the public information officer to complete open records training, prohibit the governmental body from charging costs for producing the information, and mandate that the governmental body either quickly request an attorney general decision or release the requested information. These changes aim to improve transparency and accountability in handling public information requests, with the new provisions applying to requests received on or after the bill's effective date of September 1, 2025.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB919