Procedures to Obtain Information
Please be advised that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the District remains closed and has suspended non-essential operations. Central office is operating only with a skeleton crew. The Texas Attorney General has issued guidance confirming that days when a government entity does not conduct regular business and operates with a skeleton crew are not business days for the purposes of the Texas Public Information Act. For this reason, the District will not process any open records requests in accordance with the Act's timelines until such time as it resumes normal operations. Thank you, and we apologize for any inconvenience.
Submit a written request using our automated form according to a governmental body's reasonable procedures.
Include enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the governmental body to accurately identify and locate the items requested.
Cooperate with the governmental body's reasonable efforts to clarify the type or amount of information requested.
A. 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.
Cost of Records
You must respond to any written estimate of charges within 10 days of the date the governmental body sent it or the request may be deemed withdrawn.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.
B. Information that may be withheld due to an exception
By the 10th business day after you file your request, a governmental body must:
request an Attorney General opinion and state which exceptions apply;
notify the requestor of the referral to the Attorney General; and
notify third parties if the request involves their proprietary information.
Failure to request an AG opinion 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.The Attorney General must issue an opinion by the 65th working day from the day you made the request. Governmental bodies must release information determined by the Attorney General to be open or file suit within 30 calendar days, and they may not ask the Attorney General to "reconsider" an opinion.
