Certain records of a member of the legislature or the lieutenant governor are confidential, but they may disclose them and covered entities must promptly notify them if a public information request covers described information.
Sec. 306.003. CONFIDENTIAL RECORDS. (a) Records of a member of the legislature or the lieutenant governor that are composed exclusively of memoranda of communications with residents of this state and of personal information concerning the person communicating with the member or lieutenant governor are confidential. However, the member or the lieutenant governor may disclose all or a part of a record to which this subsection applies, and that disclosure does not violate the law of this state. (b) The method used to store or maintain a record covered by Subsection (a) does not affect the confidentiality of the record. (c) If a member of the legislature or the lieutenant governor discloses to the Department of Family and Protective Services or a governmental unit that is a "covered entity" under Section 181.001(b), Health and Safety Code, all or part of a record to which Subsection (a) applies or communicates to the department or governmental unit a description of the information contained in the record that identifies or would tend to identify the resident of this state who communicated with the member or lieutenant governor, the record or the described information, as applicable, in the possession of the department or governmental unit is subject to and confidential under Subsection (a) and may be disclosed to any other person only to the extent that the member of the legislature or lieutenant governor elects to disclose the record or the described information. (d) If the department or governmental unit that is a "covered entity" under Section 181.001(b), Health and Safety Code, receives a request for public information under Chapter 552, and information subject to the request is information described by Subsection (c), the department or governmental unit shall promptly notify, in writing or by electronic means, the member of the legislature or the lieutenant governor, as applicable, that the department or governmental entity received the request. The notification must specify the type of information that is requested and include a copy of the request. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 167, Sec. 2.05(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 633 (H.B. 367), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.