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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a bulk data request for information under the public |
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information law. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 552.003, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subdivision (7) to read as follows: |
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(7) "Bulk data request" means a request for copies of |
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public information that would involve producing copies of 100 pages |
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or more in response. |
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SECTION 2. Section 552.228, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows: |
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(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a |
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governmental body is not required to produce: |
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(1) information in response to a bulk data request in |
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any medium other than that in which the information is maintained; |
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or |
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(2) a document responsive to a bulk data request in the |
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requested format if the public information is maintained in the |
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same medium as the medium requested by the requestor. |
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(e) Subsection (d) does not apply if the requestor is a |
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representative of: |
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(1) a radio or television station that holds a license |
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issued by the Federal Communications Commission; |
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(2) a newspaper that is qualified under Section |
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2051.044 to publish legal notices or is a free newspaper of general |
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circulation and that is published at least once a week and available |
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and of interest to the general public in connection with the |
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dissemination of news; |
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(3) a title company; or |
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(4) a company that provides information obtained from |
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a governmental body to a title company. |
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SECTION 3. Section 552.261, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: |
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(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a |
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governmental body may charge an amount not to exceed two cents per |
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page in providing a copy of information subject to a bulk data |
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request regardless of the medium requested by the requestor. |
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(f) Subsection (e) does not apply if the requestor is a |
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representative of: |
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(1) a radio or television station that holds a license |
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issued by the Federal Communications Commission; |
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(2) a newspaper that is qualified under Section |
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2051.044 to publish legal notices or is a free newspaper of general |
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circulation and that is published at least once a week and available |
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and of interest to the general public in connection with the |
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dissemination of news; |
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(3) a title company; or |
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(4) a company that provides information obtained from |
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a governmental body to a title company. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections |
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552.228 and 552.261, Government Code, apply only to a request for |
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information that is received by a governmental body or an officer |
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for public information on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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A request for information that was received before the effective |
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date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the |
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request was received, and the former law is continued in effect for |
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that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |