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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the availability of 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 552.105, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 552.105. EXCEPTION: INFORMATION RELATED TO LOCATION |
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OR PRICE OF PROPERTY. (a) Information is not public information |
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under this chapter [excepted from the requirements of Section
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552.021] if it is information relating to: |
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(1) the location of real or personal property for a |
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public purpose prior to public announcement of the project; or |
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(2) appraisals or purchase price of real or personal |
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property for a public purpose prior to the formal award of contracts |
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for the property. |
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(b) Section 552.022 does not apply to information described |
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by Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 2. Section 552.221(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) An officer for public information complies with |
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Subsection (a) by: |
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(1) providing the public information for inspection or |
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duplication in the offices of the governmental body; [or] |
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(2) sending copies of the public information by first |
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class United States mail if the person requesting the information |
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requests that copies be provided and pays the postage and any other |
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applicable charges that the requestor has accrued under Subchapter |
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F; or |
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(3)(A) informing the person requesting the |
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information, in writing, that the public information is available |
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on an Internet website that is: |
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(i) owned, controlled, or maintained by the |
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governmental body; and |
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(ii) accessible to members of the general |
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public; |
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(B) providing the person, in writing, the exact |
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Internet location or uniform resource locator (URL) address where |
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the person can access the public information; and |
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(C) offering the person access to a computer |
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terminal at no charge so that the person can access the public |
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information on the Internet website. |
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SECTION 3. Section 552.228(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) It shall be a policy of a governmental body to provide a |
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suitable copy of public information within a reasonable time after |
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the date on which the copy is requested. This policy of a |
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governmental body is considered to be fulfilled if the governmental |
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body complies with Section 552.221(b). |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |