Texas Government Code 552.231 – Responding to Requests for Information That Require Programming or Manipulation of Data
(a) A governmental body shall provide to a requestor the written statement described by Subsection (b) if the governmental body determines:
(1) that responding to a request for public information will require programming or manipulation of data; and
(2) that:
(A) compliance with the request is not feasible or will result in substantial interference with its ongoing operations; or
(B) the information could be made available in the requested form only at a cost that covers the programming and manipulation of data.
(b) The written statement must include:
(1) a statement that the information is not available in the requested form;
(2) a description of the form in which the information is available;
(3) a description of any contract or services that would be required to provide the information in the requested form;
(4) a statement of the estimated cost of providing the information in the requested form, as determined in accordance with the rules established by the attorney general under § 552.262; and
(5) a statement of the anticipated time required to provide the information in the requested form.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 552.231
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by writing, printing, or other means. See Texas Government Code 312.011
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) The governmental body shall provide the written statement to the requestor within 20 days after the date of the governmental body’s receipt of the request. The governmental body has an additional 10 days to provide the statement if the governmental body gives written notice to the requestor, within 20 days after the date of receipt of the request, that the additional time is needed.
(d) On providing the written statement to the requestor as required by this section, the governmental body does not have any further obligation to provide the information in the requested form or in the form in which it is available unless within 30 days the requestor states in writing to the governmental body that the requestor:
(1) wants the governmental body to provide the information in the requested form according to the cost and time parameters set out in the statement or according to other terms to which the requestor and the governmental body agree; or
(2) wants the information in the form in which it is available.
(d-1) If a requestor does not make a timely written statement under Subsection (d), the requestor is considered to have withdrawn the request for information.
(e) The officer for public information of a governmental body shall establish policies that assure the expeditious and accurate processing of requests for information that require programming or manipulation of data. A governmental body shall maintain a file containing all written statements issued under this section in a readily accessible location.