The bill, introduced by Senator Zaffirini, aims to enhance the maintenance and production of electronic public information under Texas public information law. It amends Section 552.002(a-2) of the Government Code to clarify that "public information" includes electronic communications related to official business and data dictionaries that describe the types of information in a database, excluding metadata that pertains to security. Additionally, a new section, 552.2285, is added to define "electronic public information" as information maintained in a searchable or sortable electronic format. This section outlines the obligations of governmental bodies to provide such information in the requested format and ensures that the public's right to access this information is not compromised by the use of electronic recordkeeping systems.

Furthermore, the bill repeals Section 552.231 of the Government Code and modifies Section 118.011(e) of the Local Government Code to align with the new provisions regarding the format and fees for copies of records. The changes will only apply to requests for public information received on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Overall, the bill seeks to improve transparency and accessibility of electronic public information for the public.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Local Government Code 118.011, Government Code 552.231 (Government Code 552, Local Government Code 118)