Texas Public Information Act

​DIR is committed to transparency and the concept of open government. We realize that as the state's technology agency, we have information that may be of value to other agencies, government entities, educational institutions, and the general public. Whenever possible, we strive to respond to requests for information promptly and thoroughly.

Below is a list of rights, responsibilities, and procedures to make a request that falls under the Public Information Act.

Texas law gives you the right to access government records and government officials may not ask why you want them. All government information is presumed to be available to the public. Certain exceptions may apply to the disclosure of the information. Governmental bodies shall promptly release requested information that is not confidential by law or information for which an exception to disclosure has been sought.

On this page

• Rights of Requestors
• Responsibilities of Government Bodies
• Procedures to Obtain Information
• Information to be released
• Cost of Records
• Information That May Be Withheld Due to an Exception

Rights of Requestors

You have the right to:

• Prompt access to information that is not confidential or otherwise protected;
• Receive treatment equal to all other requestors, including accommodation in accordance with ADA requirements;
• Receive certain kinds of information without exceptions, like the voting record of public officials, and other information;
• Receive a written statement of estimated charges when charges exceed $40, in advance of work being started; and given the opportunity to modify the request if charges are too high;
• Choose whether to inspect the requested information (most often at no charge), receive copies of the information or both;
• A waiver or reduction of charges if the governmental body determines that access to the information primarily benefits the general public;
• Receive a copy of the communication from the governmental body asking the Attorney General for a ruling on whether the information can be withheld under one of the accepted exceptions, or if the communication discloses the requested information, a redacted copy;
• Lodge a complaint about charges for public records or a complaint related to other possible violations with the county attorney, criminal district attorney, or the Office of the Attorney General.

Responsibilities of Governmental Bodies

All governmental bodies responding to information requests have the responsibility to:

• Establish reasonable procedures for inspecting and copying public information and inform requestors of these procedures;
• Treat all requestors equally, including accommodation in accordance with ADA requirements;
• Be informed about open records laws and educate employees on the requirements of those laws;
• Inform requestors of the estimated charges greater than $40 and any changes in the estimate above 20 percent of the original estimate, and confirm that the requestor accepts the charges, or has amended the request, in writing before finalizing the request;
• Inform the requestor if the information cannot be provided promptly and set a date and time to provide it within a reasonable time;
• Request a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General regarding any information the governmental body wishes to withhold, and send a copy of the request for ruling, or a redacted copy, to the requestor;
• Segregate public information from information that might be withheld and provide that public information promptly;
• Make a good faith attempt to inform third parties when their proprietary information is being requested from the governmental body;
• Respond in writing to all written communications from the Office of the Attorney General regarding charges for the information. Respond to the Office of the Attorney General regarding complaints about violations of the Act.

Procedures to Obtain Information

1. Submit a written request (through DIR’s Portal, mail, fax, or in person) according to a governmental body’s reasonable procedures.
2. Include enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the governmental body to accurately identify and locate the items requested.
3. Cooperate with the governmental body's reasonable efforts to clarify the type or amount of information requested.

Information to be Released

• You may review it promptly, and if it cannot be produced within 10 working days the public information officer will notify you in writing of the reasonable date and time when it will be available.
• Keep appointments to inspect records or pick up copies or risk losing the opportunity to see the information at the time requested.

Cost of Records

• You must respond to any written estimate of the charges within 10 days of the date the governmental body sent it or the request is considered to be automatically withdrawn.
• If estimated costs exceed $100.00 (or $50.00 if a governmental body has fewer than 16 full time employees) the governmental body may require a bond, prepayment or deposit.
• You may ask the governmental body to determine whether providing the information primarily benefits the general public, resulting in a waiver or reduction of charges.
• Make a timely payment for all mutually agreed charges. A governmental body can demand payment of overdue balances exceeding $100.00, or obtain a security deposit, before processing additional requests from you.

Information That May Be Withheld Due to an Exception

• If a governmental body determines the requested information is not subject to a previous determination or a statute that allows the information to be withheld without requesting a ruling, by the 10th business day after a governmental body receives your written request, a governmental body must:
  1. request an Attorney General opinion and state which exceptions apply;
  2. notify the requestor of the referral to the Attorney General; and
  3. notify third parties if the request involves their proprietary information
• Failure to request an Attorney General Letter Decision and notify the requestor within 10 business days will result in a presumption that the information is open unless there is a compelling reason to withhold it.
• Requestors may send a letter to the Attorney General arguing for release, and may review arguments made by the governmental body. If the arguments disclose the requested information, the requestor may obtain a redacted copy
• The Attorney General must issue a decision no later than the 45th business day after the Attorney General received the request for a decision. The Attorney General may request an additional 10 working day extension.
• Governmental bodies may not ask the Attorney General to "reconsider" an opinion.

If you have any questions regarding these rights and procedures, please contact:

• Public Information Office
• Texas Department of Information Resources

By mail to: P.O. Box 13564, Austin, TX 78711

By fax to: (512) 475-4759

In person at: 300 W. 15th Street, Suite 1300, Austin, Texas

For complaints regarding failure to release public information, please contact your local County or District Attorney. Please ask and you will be provided with this information.

• You may also contact the Office of the Attorney General, Open Government Hotline, at 512-478-6736 or toll-free at 1-877-673-6839.
• For complaints regarding overcharges, please contact the Office of the Attorney General, Cost Hotline at 512-475-2497 or toll-free at 1-888-672-6787.

If you need special accommodation pursuant to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact our ADA Coordinator, Lisa Jammer, at (512) 475-4612.