Texas Government Code, Chapter 552 ensures public access to any open state record.  The definition of what constitutes a public record is, “any information created or received in connection with the transaction of official business regardless of physical form.”

The legislative intent in enacting Chapter 552 was to insure that governmental agencies function in the open, and therefore ensures public access to information and records of governmental agencies.

Certain records are exempt from public inspection, although they are not exempt from the other provisions of the public records law.  An entire document or parts of a document may be exempted from public inspection and copying.  However, there must be specific statutory authority for a record to be exempt.  Examples of exemptions to inspection are information about students (other than directory information), medical records, and certain information concerning research.