Public Information Act Training

Texas Government Code section 552.012 requires elected or appointed public officials to complete an open records training course.  The training requirement applies to:

1. a member of a multimember governmental body;
2. the governing officer of a governmental body that is headed by a single officer rather than by a multimember governing body; or
3. the officer for public information of a governmental body, without regard to whether the officer is elected or appointed to a specific term.

The law requires that the specified public officials complete the training course within 90 days of taking the oath of office or otherwise assuming the responsibilities of office.  A public official may designate a public information coordinator to satisfy the training requirement for the public official if the public information coordinator is primarily responsible for administering the responsibilities of the public official or governmental body under the Public Information Act.  The designated public information coordinator is required to complete the training course within 90 days of the date the coordinator assumes the person’s duties as coordinator.

The training course of not less than one and not more than two hours must include information regarding:

1. the general background of the legal requirements for open records and public information;
2. the applicability of the Public Information Act to governmental bodies;
3. procedures and requirements regarding complying with a request for information under the Public Information Act;
4. the role of the attorney general under the Public Information Act; and
5. penalties and other consequences for failure to comply with the Public Information Act.

The Office of the Attorney General’s training video includes information on each of these elements and satisfies the requirements imposed by Government Code section 552.012.