Each March, Sunshine Week highlights the importance of open government, public accountability, and the public’s right to know how governmental institutions operate. Transparency laws at both the federal and state level play a crucial role in supporting these principles.
Many people are familiar with the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which allows members of the public to request records from federal agencies. However, FOIA applies only to federal government records. In Texas, access to information held by state and local governmental bodies is governed by a different law: the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA).
Formerly known as the Texas Open Records Act, the Texas Public Information Act was enacted in 1973 in the wake of several high-profile government scandals. The statute, now codified in Texas Government Code, Chapter 552, reflects the Legislature’s commitment to transparency and public oversight of government.
The Act begins with a powerful declaration of principle:
“The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.”
— Texas Government Code §552.001
Under the TPIA, most records created or maintained by Texas governmental bodies are presumed to be open to the public unless they fall within a specific statutory exception. This includes many records held by state agencies, counties, cities, school districts, and other governmental entities. Members of the public may submit a written request for these records, and the governmental body must respond within the timeframes established by the statute.
Learn More About the Texas Public Information Act
If you would like to learn more about the TPIA, the following resources provide helpful overviews, guides, and official reference materials:
Texas Attorney General: Overview of the Public Information Act
Texas Secretary of State: Records Management and Public Information Resources
Texas Department of Information Resources: Texas Public Information Act Policy
Texas Municipal League: Texas Public Information Act Made Easy (2025)
Office of the Attorney General: Public Information Act Handbook (2024)
These resources provide guidance on how public information requests work, the responsibilities of governmental bodies, and the exceptions that may apply to certain types of records.
Sunshine Week and the Public’s Right to Know
Sunshine Week serves as a reminder that transparency laws like the Texas Public Information Act are essential to a healthy democracy. By ensuring that government records remain accessible to the public, these laws help promote accountability, foster civic engagement, and reinforce the principle that government ultimately serves the people.
For researchers, attorneys, journalists, and members of the public alike, understanding the Texas Public Information Act is an important step toward making informed use of the rights it provides.