 ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS GREG ABBOTT | |
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March 22, 2007 Ms. Cathy Cunningham OR2007-03154 Dear Ms. Cunningham: 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# 277744. The Irving Fire Department (the "department") received two requests for copies of the investigation report regarding a specified fire. You state that the department will release some of the requested information but claim that the submitted information is excepted from disclosure under section 552.101 of the Government Code. We have considered the exception you claim and reviewed the submitted information. Section 552.101 of the Government Code excepts from disclosure "information considered to be confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or by judicial decision." Gov't Code § 552.101. This section encompasses information made confidential by other statutes. You contend the submitted information is excepted from disclosure under section 552.101 in conjunction with section 58.007 of the Family Code, which provides in pertinent part as follows: (c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), law enforcement records and files concerning a child and information stored, by electronic means or otherwise, concerning the child from which a record or file could be generated may not be disclosed to the public and shall be: (1) if maintained on paper or microfilm, kept separate from adult files and records; (2) if maintained electronically in the same computer system as records or files relating to adults, be accessible under controls that are separate and distinct from controls to access electronic data concerning adults; and (3) maintained on a local basis only and not sent to a central state or federal depository, except as provided by Subchapter B. Fam. Code § 58.007(c). Law enforcement records relating to juvenile criminal conduct that occurred on or after September 1, 1997 are confidential under section 58.007 of the Family Code. However, section 58.007 is inapplicable when an incident does not involve a suspect or offender who is a "child" as defined by section 51.02 of the Family Code. A "child" is a person who is: (A) ten years of age or older and under 17 years of age; or (B) seventeen years of age or older and under 18 years of age who is alleged or found to have engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision as a result of acts committed before becoming 17 years of age. Fam. Code § 51.02(2). Here, the individual identified as the alleged offender in the submitted documents was eight years old at the time of the incident. Thus, the individual is not a "child" for purposes of the Juvenile Justice Code, title 3 of the Family Code. We therefore find the submitted police report is not a juvenile law enforcement record made confidential under section 58.007 of the Family Code, and may not be withheld under section 552.101 on that basis. We note that the submitted information includes Texas driver's license numbers. Section 552.130 of the Government Code provides that information relating to a motor vehicle operator's license, driver's license, motor vehicle title, or registration issued by a Texas agency is excepted from public release. (1) Gov't Code § 552.130(a)(1), (2). The department must withhold the Texas driver's license numbers that we have marked under section 552.130. The remaining information must be released to the requestors. 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, upon receiving this ruling, the governmental body will either release the public records promptly pursuant to section 552.221(a) of the Government Code or file a lawsuit challenging this ruling pursuant to section 552.324 of the Government Code. If the governmental body fails to do one of these things, 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 Office of the Attorney General 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. 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, L. Joseph James Assistant Attorney General Open Records Division LJJ/eb Ref: ID# 277744 Enc. Submitted documents c: Ms. Joyce L. Burley P.O. Box 224782 Dallas, Texas 75222 (w/o enclosures) Ms. Natasha J. Lee 7113 Hanover Road New Orleans, Louisiana 70120 (w/o enclosures)
1. Unlike other exceptions to disclosure, this office will raise section 552.130 on behalf of a
governmental body, as this exception is mandatory and may not be waived. See Gov't Code §§ 552.007, .352;
Open Records Decision No. 674 at 3 n.4 (2001) (mandatory exceptions). POST OFFICE BOX 12548, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78711-2548 TEL: (512) 463-2100 WEB: WWW.OAG.STATE.TX.US |