Texas law on any date › Government Code
Government Code §552.002
In force on Sep 01, 2019 · this text took effect Sep 01, 2019 · same as today's text
DEFINITION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION; MEDIA CONTAINING PUBLIC INFORMATION
(a) In this chapter, "public information" means information that is written, produced, collected, assembled, or maintained under a law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business:
(1) by a governmental body;
(2) for a governmental body and the governmental body:
(A) owns the information;
(B) has a right of access to the information; or
(C) spends or contributes public money for the purpose of writing, producing, collecting, assembling, or maintaining the information; or
(3) by an individual officer or employee of a governmental body in the officer's or employee's official capacity and the information pertains to official business of the governmental body.
(a-1) Information is in connection with the transaction of official business if the information is created by, transmitted to, received by, or maintained by an officer or employee of the governmental body in the officer's or employee's official capacity, or a person or entity performing official business or a governmental function on behalf of a governmental body, and pertains to official business of the governmental body.
(a-2) The definition of "public information" provided by Subsection (a) applies to and includes any electronic communication created, transmitted, received, or maintained on any device if the communication is in connection with the transaction of official business.
(b) The media on which public information is recorded include:
(1) paper;
(2) film;
(3) a magnetic, optical, solid state, or other device that can store an electronic signal;
(4) tape;
(5) Mylar; and
(6) any physical material on which information may be recorded, including linen, silk, and vellum.
(c) The general forms in which the media containing public information exist include a book, paper, letter, document, e-mail, Internet posting, text message, instant message, other electronic communication, printout, photograph, film, tape, microfiche, microfilm, photostat, sound recording, map, and drawing and a voice, data, or video representation held in computer memory.
(d) "Protected health information" as defined by Section 181.006 , Health and Safety Code, is not public information and is not subject to disclosure under this chapter.
History: Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 1035, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1204 (S.B. 1368 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1340 (S.B. 944 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.
Source: the Legislature's file server, seen Oct 22, 2019 to Nov 08, 2026.
Every version on file
- Effective Sep 01, 2019 · seen Oct 2019–Nov 2026
- Effective Sep 01, 2013 · seen Jun 2019–Jul 2019
Attorney General opinions that cite it
- GA-1086 (May 14, 2014): Authority of an entity to require and maintain a photocopy of the credentials of a person covered by section 552.1175 of the Government Code
- GA-0666 (Mar 28, 2008): Whether the Texas Association ofAppraisal Districts is a "governmental body" for purposes of chapter 552 of the Government Code, the Public Information Act
- GA-0603 (Sep 07, 2007): Whether a non-profit economic development foundation that receives partial funding from quasi-public utilities is subjectto the Texas Public Information Act
- GA-0572 (Jul 19, 2007): Whether certain information regarding public employees must be included in the Comptroller of Public Account's public database of state expenditures
A research copy. The official text is the Legislature's (statutes), the Secretary of State's (Texas Administrative Code) or eCFR's (federal rules). Not legal advice.