84R686 TJB-D
 
  By: Taylor of Collin S.B. No. 337
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the right of directors of special districts to obtain
  district information, documents, and records.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 201, Local Government Code, is amended
  by adding Section 201.010 to read as follows:
         Sec. 201.010.  SPECIAL RIGHT OF ACCESS TO DISTRICT
  INFORMATION BY DISTRICT DIRECTOR. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Board" means the governing body of a special
  district.
               (2)  "Director" means a board member.
               (3)  "Public information" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 552.002, Government Code.
               (4)  "Special district" means a political subdivision
  of this state that has a limited geographic area and is created by
  local law or under general law for a special purpose. The term does
  not include a school district or hospital district.
         (b)  A director of a special district has a right of access to
  information that is public information of the district.
         (c)  A special district on request by a director of the
  district shall provide public information, including confidential
  information or information otherwise excepted from disclosure, to
  the director in accordance with Chapter 552, Government Code.
         (d)  A special district, by providing public information to a
  director under this section that is confidential or otherwise
  excepted from required disclosure under law, does not waive or
  affect the confidentiality of the information for purposes of state
  or federal law or waive the right of the district to assert
  exceptions to required disclosure of the information in the future.
  The district may require the requesting director or the employees
  of the requesting director who will view or handle information that
  is received under this section and that is confidential under law or
  otherwise excepted from disclosure to sign a confidentiality
  agreement that covers the information and requires that:
               (1)  the information not be disclosed outside the
  office of the requesting director or within that office for
  purposes other than the purpose for which it was received;
               (2)  the information be labeled as confidential;
               (3)  the information be kept securely; or
               (4)  the number of copies made of the information or the
  notes taken from the information that implicate the confidential
  nature of the information be controlled, with all copies or notes
  that are not destroyed or returned to the district remaining
  confidential and subject to the confidentiality agreement.
         (e)  If a director or employee of a director is required by a
  special district to sign a confidentiality agreement under
  Subsection (d), the director may seek a decision as provided by
  Subsection (f) about whether the information covered by the
  confidentiality agreement is confidential under law or otherwise
  excepted from disclosure.  A confidentiality agreement signed under
  Subsection (d) is void to the extent that the agreement covers
  information that is finally determined under Subsection (f) to not
  be confidential under law or otherwise excepted from disclosure.
         (f)  A director may seek a decision from the attorney general
  about whether the information covered by the confidentiality
  agreement is confidential under law or otherwise excepted from
  disclosure.  The attorney general by rule shall establish
  procedures and deadlines for receiving information necessary to
  determine whether the information covered by the confidentiality
  agreement is confidential under law or otherwise excepted from
  disclosure and for receiving briefs from the requesting director,
  the special district, and any other interested person.  The
  attorney general shall promptly render a decision requested under
  this subsection, determining whether the information covered by the
  confidentiality agreement is confidential under law or otherwise
  excepted from disclosure, not later than the 45th business day
  after the date the attorney general receives the request for a
  decision under this subsection.  The attorney general shall issue a
  written decision and provide a copy of the decision to the
  requesting director, the special district, and any interested
  person who submitted necessary information or a brief to the
  attorney general under this subsection.  The requesting director or
  the special district may appeal a decision of the attorney general
  under this subsection to a district court.  A person may appeal a
  decision of the attorney general under this subsection to a
  district court if the person claims a proprietary interest in the
  information affected by the decision or a privacy interest in the
  information that a confidentiality law or judicial decision is
  designed to protect.
         (g)  This section does not affect:
               (1)  the right of a director of a special district to
  obtain information from the district under other law;
               (2)  the procedures under which the information is
  obtained under other law; or
               (3)  the use that may be made of the information
  obtained under other law.
         (h)  This section does not grant authority to a special
  district to withhold information from a director of the district.
         SECTION 2.  Section 201.010, Local Government Code, as added
  by this Act, applies only to a request for information by a director
  of a special district that is made on or after the effective date of
  this Act.  A request for information made before the effective date
  of this Act is governed by the applicable law in effect immediately
  before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in
  effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2015.