Bill Text: TX HB685 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the production of public information under the public information law.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-17 - Effective on 9/1/15 [HB685 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB685-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 685 | ||
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| 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 Subsections (b-1) and (b-2) to read as follows: | ||
| (b-1) In addition to the methods of production described by | ||
| Subsection (b), an officer for public information for a political | ||
| subdivision of this state complies with Subsection (a) by referring | ||
| a requestor to an exact Internet location or uniform resource | ||
| locator (URL) address on a website maintained by the political | ||
| subdivision and accessible to the public if the requested | ||
| information is identifiable and readily available on that website. | ||
| If the person requesting the information prefers a manner other | ||
| than access through the URL, the political subdivision must supply | ||
| the information in the manner required by Subsection (b). | ||
| (b-2) If an officer for public information for a political | ||
| subdivision provides by e-mail an Internet location or uniform | ||
| resource locator (URL) address as permitted by Subsection (b-1), | ||
| the e-mail must contain a statement in a conspicuous font clearly | ||
| indicating that the requestor may nonetheless access the requested | ||
| information by inspection or duplication or by receipt through | ||
| United States mail, as provided by Subsection (b | ||
| ). | ||
| SECTION 2. 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 3. 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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 685 was passed by the House on April | ||
| 9, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 1, 2 present, not | ||
| voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
| No. 685 on May 26, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 1, 2 | ||
| present, not voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 685 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
| amendments, on May 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays | ||
| 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: __________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| __________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
