Mandatory & Discretionary Exceptions under the Texas Public Information Act

Under the Texas Public Information Act, some categories of information do not have to be released. Exceptions to disclosure fall into two general categories: 1) mandatory exceptions that make information confidential and require a governmental body to withhold information, and 2) discretionary exceptions that allow, but do not require a governmental body to withhold information.  You can find information about mandatory and discretionary exceptions HERE.

In most instances, a governmental body is required to request a decision from the Texas Attorney General in order to withhold information from a requestor. However, there is certain information that a governmental body can redact without seeking a decision. Additionally, a requestor may permit a governmental body to redact information without requesting an Attorney General decision.

You are not required to agree to the redaction of any information responsive to your request; however, doing so may streamline the handling of your request.