Submitting an Open Records Request
Under the Texas Public Information Act
Requests for open records or public information may be submitted through this online portal, in person, by mail, or via email. (For media inquiries, please see below.)
For Inquiries from TRS Members Regarding Pension Benefits:
If you are a participant in the Teacher Retirement System and need information regarding your pension benefits, contact TRS Benefit Services:
- By Phone: 1-800-223-8778, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Automated information is available at any time.
- By Fax: 512-542-6597
For Inquiries from TRS Members Regarding Healthcare Benefits:
For TRS-Care General Questions (TRS Health & Insurance Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment):
- By Phone: 1-888-237-6762 - Monday – Friday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
- By Fax: 512-542-6575
For Media Inquiries:
- By hand or mail: Deliver to Beth Hallmark, Director of Communications, 1000 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78701
- By Fax: 512-542-6426
- By E-mail: MediaRequests@trs.texas.gov
For Requests Related to Member Records
Please note that section 552.0038 of the Texas Public Information Act ("Act") and section 825.507 of the Texas Government Code provide that records of individual TRS participants and information about those records are confidential and not subject to public disclosure. In addition, section 825.507(f) specifically provides that TRS is not authorized to compile or disclose a list of participants' names, addresses, or e-mail addresses, unless such a compilation or disclosure is necessary to administer the retirement system. Finally, please note that under these provisions, TRS is not required to accept or comply with a request for such records or information about such records or to seek an opinion from the Office of the Attorney General of Texas (OAG) because the records are expressly exempt from the Act.
How to Submit a Public Information/Open Records Request
Your PIA request must include enough description and detail about the information requested to enable TRS to accurately identify and locate the information requested. A requestor is required by the Texas Public Information Act to cooperate with TRS’ reasonable efforts to clarify the type or amount of information requested. The Texas Public Information Act applies only to information already in existence on the date of the request.
The Act does not require a governmental body to 1) prepare new information in response to a request, 2) comply with a continuing request to supply information on a periodic basis, or 3) provide information that may be prepared or compiled in the future.
Section 552.101 of the Texas Public Information Act provides that information is excepted from required public disclosure if it is information considered to be confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or by judicial decision. Therefore, 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.
In most instances, TRS is required to request a decision from the Texas Attorney General in order to withhold information from a requestor. However, a requestor may permit a governmental body to redact information without requesting an Attorney General decision.
Cost of Records
You must respond to written estimates of charges that exceed $40.00 within ten (10) business days of the date of the TRS communication and in the manner required by law. If you do not respond with ten (10) days of the date of the letter from TRS, your request will be considered automatically withdrawn by law.
For requests requiring TRS to program or manipulate data, you must respond to TRS’ cost estimate within 30 calendar days of the date TRS sent it and in the manner required by law or the request is considered automatically withdrawn.
If estimated costs to provide copies of requested information exceed $100.00, TRS requires a bond, deposit, or prepayment.
For purposes of TRS’ requesting a ruling on disclosure (see below), your information request is considered to be received on the date TRS receives any required deposit or bond for anticipated costs or unpaid amounts. Failure to pay any required deposit or bond within ten (10) business days after TRS sends you notice that such deposit or bond is required will result in your information request being automatically withdrawn.
You must make a timely payment for all mutually agreed charges.
For complaints regarding overcharges, please contact the OAG, Cost Rules Administrator, Open Records Division, at 512-475-2497 or toll-free at 888-672-6787.
If TRS Seeks an Exception to Disclosure
If TRS determines that information may be withheld because of an exception to disclosure, by the 10th business day after TRS’ either receives your written request, clarified or narrowed request, or any required deposit or bond, TRS must:
i) request a ruling on disclosure from the OAG and state which exceptions apply;
ii) notify the requestor of the referral to the OAG; and
iii) notify third parties if the request involves their proprietary information.
Failure to request a ruling from the OAG and to notify the requestor within 10 business days of receipt of the written request for information will result in a presumption that the information is open unless there is a compelling reason to withhold it.
Requestors shall receive a copy of TRS’ written comments to the OAG. If the comments disclose the requested information for which a ruling is sought, the requestor will be provided a redacted copy. Requestors may send a letter to the OAG arguing for release of the requested information.
The OAG must issue a decision no later than the 45th business day from the day after the OAG received the request for a decision. The OAG may extend the time for issuing a decision by an additional 10 business days.
TRS may not ask the OAG to reconsider a ruling, but TRS may seek clarification of the OAG's ruling or challenge it in court.
For complaints regarding failure to release public information, please contact the OAG, Open Records Hotline, at 512-478-6736 or toll-free at 877-673-6839. You may also contact your county or district attorney.
For more information regarding the Public Information Act and other open government laws, please visit the Public Information Act section of Office of the Attorney General website.