82R1617 RWG-F
	By: Solomons	H.B. No. 1044

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to categories of information presumed to be public under
	the public information law.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 552.022, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 552.022.  CATEGORIES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION; EXAMPLES.
	(a)  Without limiting the amount or kind of information that is
	public information under this chapter, the following categories of
	information are public information and not excepted from required
	disclosure unless made confidential under this chapter or [unless
	they are expressly confidential under] other law:
	(1)  a completed report, audit, evaluation, or
	investigation made of, for, or by a governmental body, except as
	provided by Section 552.108;
	(2)  the name, sex, ethnicity, salary, title, and dates
	of employment of each employee and officer of a governmental body;
	(3)  information in an account, voucher, or contract
	relating to the receipt or expenditure of public or other funds by a
	governmental body;
	(4)  the name of each official and the final record of
	voting on all proceedings in a governmental body;
	(5)  all working papers, research material, and
	information used to estimate the need for or expenditure of public
	funds or taxes by a governmental body, on completion of the
	estimate;
	(6)  the name, place of business, and the name of the
	municipality to which local sales and use taxes are credited, if
	any, for the named person, of a person reporting or paying sales and
	use taxes under Chapter 151, Tax Code;
	(7)  a description of an agency's central and field
	organizations, including:
	(A)  the established places at which the public
	may obtain information, submit information or requests, or obtain
	decisions;
	(B)  the employees from whom the public may obtain
	information, submit information or requests, or obtain decisions;
	(C)  in the case of a uniformed service, the
	members from whom the public may obtain information, submit
	information or requests, or obtain decisions; and
	(D)  the methods by which the public may obtain
	information, submit information or requests, or obtain decisions;
	(8)  a statement of the general course and method by
	which an agency's functions are channeled and determined, including
	the nature and requirements of all formal and informal policies and
	procedures;
	(9)  a rule of procedure, a description of forms
	available or the places at which forms may be obtained, and
	instructions relating to the scope and content of all papers,
	reports, or examinations;
	(10)  a substantive rule of general applicability
	adopted or issued by an agency as authorized by law, and a statement
	of general policy or interpretation of general applicability
	formulated and adopted by an agency;
	(11)  each amendment, revision, or repeal of
	information described by Subdivisions (7)-(10);
	(12)  final opinions, including concurring and
	dissenting opinions, and orders issued in the adjudication of
	cases;
	(13)  a policy statement or interpretation that has
	been adopted or issued by an agency;
	(14)  administrative staff manuals and instructions to
	staff that affect a member of the public;
	(15)  information regarded as open to the public under
	an agency's policies;
	(16)  information that is in a bill for attorney's fees
	and that is not privileged under the attorney-client privilege;
	(17)  information that is also contained in a public
	court record; and
	(18)  a settlement agreement to which a governmental
	body is a party.
	(b)  A court in this state may not order a governmental body
	or an officer for public information to withhold from public
	inspection any category of public information described by
	Subsection (a) or to not produce the category of public information
	for inspection or duplication, unless the category of information
	is [expressly made] confidential under this chapter or other law.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
	552.022, Government Code, applies 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 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.