Texas+-+Attorney+General

=Texas Attorney General=

**OR2003 - 6419**
September 12, 2003 Ms. Sherri A. Russell Assistant City Attorney City of Waco P.O. Box 2570 Waco, Texas 76702-2570 OR2003-6419 Dear Ms. Russell: You ask whether certain information is subject to required public disclosure under chapter 552 of the Government Code. Your request was assigned ID# 187620.

The City of Waco (the "city") received a request for information concerning the computer sign-up sheets for the month of October, 2002 for the adult reference and periodicals/genealogy areas of the Waco-McLennan County Central Library (the "library"). You claim that the requested information is excepted from disclosure under section 552.124 of the Government Code. We have considered the exception you claim and reviewed the submitted representative sample of information.[|(1)]

Section 552.124 of the Government Code makes confidential, with certain exceptions which are not applicable here, "[a] record of a library or library system, supported in whole or in part by public funds, that identifies or serves to identify a person who requested, obtained, or used a library material or service." Section 552.124 requires withholding the names, addresses, and other information specifically identifying library patrons. The submitted computer sign-up forms contain the names library patrons. We conclude that the library must withhold the submitted information pursuant to section 552.124 of the Government Code.

This letter ruling is limited to the particular records at issue in this request and limited to the facts as presented to us; therefore, this ruling must not be relied upon as a previous determination regarding any other records or any other circumstances.

This ruling triggers important deadlines regarding the rights and responsibilities of the governmental body and of the requestor. For example, governmental bodies are prohibited from asking the attorney general to reconsider this ruling. Gov't Code § 552.301(f). If the governmental body wants to challenge this ruling, the governmental body must appeal by filing suit in Travis County within 30 calendar days. //Id//. § 552.324(b). In order to get the full benefit of such an appeal, the governmental body must file suit within 10 calendar days. //Id//. § 552.353(b)(3), (c). If the governmental body does not appeal this ruling and the governmental body does not comply with it, then both the requestor and the attorney general have the right to file suit against the governmental body to enforce this ruling. //Id//. § 552.321(a).

If this ruling requires the governmental body to release all or part of the requested information, the governmental body is responsible for taking the next step. Based on the statute, the attorney general expects that, within 10 calendar days of this ruling, the governmental body will do one of the following three things: 1) release the public records; 2) notify the requestor of the exact day, time, and place that copies of the records will be provided or that the records can be inspected; or 3) notify the requestor of the governmental body's intent to challenge this letter ruling in court. If the governmental body fails to do one of these three things within 10 calendar days of this ruling, then the requestor should report that failure to the attorney general's Open Government Hotline, toll free, at (877) 673-6839. The requestor may also file a complaint with the district or county attorney. //Id.// § 552.3215(e).

If this ruling requires or permits the governmental body to withhold all or some of the requested information, the requestor can appeal that decision by suing the governmental body. //Id//. § 552.321(a); //Texas Dep't of Pub. Safety v. Gilbreath//, 842 S.W.2d 408, 411 (Tex. App.--Austin 1992, no writ).

Please remember that under the Act the release of information triggers certain procedures for costs and charges to the requestor. If records are released in compliance with this ruling, be sure that all charges for the information are at or below the legal amounts. Questions or complaints about over-charging must be directed to Hadassah Schloss at the Texas Building and Procurement Commission at (512) 475-2497.

If the governmental body, the requestor, or any other person has questions or comments about this ruling, they may contact our office. We note that a third party may challenge this ruling by filing suit seeking to withhold information from a requestor. Gov't Code § 552.325. Although there is no statutory deadline for contacting us, the attorney general prefers to receive any comments within 10 calendar days of the date of this ruling.

Sincerely,

David R. Saldivar Assistant Attorney General Open Records Division DRS/seg Ref: ID# 187620 Enc: Submitted documents

c: Mr. Rob Swanton Law Offices of Rob Swanton 1105 Wooded Acres Drive, Suite 630 Waco, Texas 76710 (w/o enclosures)

Footnotes We assume that the "representative sample" of records submitted to this office is truly representative of the requested records as a whole. //See// Open Records Decision Nos. 499 (1988), 497 (1988). This open records letter does not reach, and therefore does not authorize the withholding of, any other requested records to the extent that those records contain substantially different types of information than that submitted to this office.

**OR2004-10140**
December 1, 2004

Mr. David K. Walker County Attorney Montgomery County 207 West Phillips Conroe, Texas 77301 OR2004-10140

Dear Mr. Walker:

You ask whether certain information is subject to required public disclosure under the Public Information Act (the "Act"), chapter 552 of the Government Code. Your request was assigned ID# 214062.

The Montgomery County Memorial Library System (the "library") received a request for the names and mailing addresses of all library card holders over the age of eighteen. You claim that the requested information is excepted from disclosure under section 552.124 of the Government Code. We have considered the exception you claim and reviewed the submitted representative sample of information.[|(1)]

Section 552.124 of the Government Code makes confidential, with certain exceptions which are not applicable here, "[a] record of a library or library system, supported in whole or in part by public funds, that identifies or serves to identify a person who requested, obtained, or used a library material or service." Gov't Code § 552.124. Section 552.124 requires withholding the names, addresses, and other information specifically identifying library patrons. The submitted list contains the names and addresses of library patrons. We conclude that the library must withhold the submitted information pursuant to section 552.124 of the Government Code.

This letter ruling is limited to the particular records at issue in this request and limited to the facts as presented to us; therefore, this ruling must not be relied upon as a previous determination regarding any other records or any other circumstances.

This ruling triggers important deadlines regarding the rights and responsibilities of the governmental body and of the requestor. For example, governmental bodies are prohibited from asking the attorney general to reconsider this ruling. Gov't Code § 552.301(f). If the governmental body wants to challenge this ruling, the governmental body must appeal by filing suit in Travis County within 30 calendar days. //Id//. § 552.324(b). In order to get the full benefit of such an appeal, the governmental body must file suit within 10 calendar days. //Id//. § 552.353(b)(3), (c). If the governmental body does not appeal this ruling and the governmental body does not comply with it, then both the requestor and the attorney general have the right to file suit against the governmental body to enforce this ruling. //Id//. § 552.321(a).

If this ruling requires the governmental body to release all or part of the requested information, the governmental body is responsible for taking the next step. Based on the statute, the attorney general expects that, within 10 calendar days of this ruling, the governmental body will do one of the following three things: 1) release the public records; 2) notify the requestor of the exact day, time, and place that copies of the records will be provided or that the records can be inspected; or 3) notify the requestor of the governmental body's intent to challenge this letter ruling in court. If the governmental body fails to do one of these three things within 10 calendar days of this ruling, then the requestor should report that failure to the attorney general's Open Government Hotline, toll free, at (877) 673-6839. The requestor may also file a complaint with the district or county attorney. //Id.// § 552.3215(e).

If this ruling requires or permits the governmental body to withhold all or some of the requested information, the requestor can appeal that decision by suing the governmental body. //Id//. § 552.321(a); //Texas Dep't of Pub. Safety v. Gilbreath//, 842 S.W.2d 408, 411 (Tex. App.--Austin 1992, no writ).

Please remember that under the Act the release of information triggers certain procedures for costs and charges to the requestor. If records are released in compliance with this ruling, be sure that all charges for the information are at or below the legal amounts. Questions or complaints about over-charging must be directed to Hadassah Schloss at the Texas Building and Procurement Commission at (512) 475-2497.

If the governmental body, the requestor, or any other person has questions or comments about this ruling, they may contact our office. We note that a third party may challenge this ruling by filing suit seeking to withhold information from a requestor. Gov't Code § 552.325. Although there is no statutory deadline for contacting us, the attorney general prefers to receive any comments within 10 calendar days of the date of this ruling.

Sincerely,

Marc A. Barenblat Assistant Attorney General Open Records Division MAB/krl Ref: ID# 214062 Enc: Submitted documents c: Mr. Steve Williams

32906 Wright Road Magnolia, Texas 77355 (w/o enclosures)

Footnotes

We assume that the "representative sample" of records submitted to this office is truly representative of the requested records as a whole. //See// Open Records Decision Nos. 499 (1988), 497 (1988). This open records letter does not reach, and therefore does not authorize the withholding of, any other requested records to the extent that those records contain substantially different types of information than that submitted to this office.

For questions or comments regarding this page, please contact Paul Neuhaus, Santa Clara University, at pneuhaus@scu.edu. Page created November 28, 2007.