ATTORNEY GENERAL
Under provisions set out in the Texas Constitution, the Texas Government Code, 
Title 4,  402.042 and numerous statutes, the attorney general is authorized to 
write advisory opinions for state and local officials. These advisory opinions 
are requested by agencies or officials when they are confronted with unique or 
unusually difficult legal questions. The attorney general also determines, under 
authority of the Texas Open Records Act, whether information requested for 
release from governmental agencies may be held from public disclosure. Requests 
for opinions, opinions, and open record decisions are summarized for publication 
in the Texas Register. The Attorney General responds to many requests for 
opinions and open records decisions with letter opinions. A letter opinion has 
the same force and effect as a formal Attorney General Opinion, and represents 
the opinion of the Attorney General unless and until it is modified or overruled 
by a subsequent letter opinion, a formal Attorney General Opinion, or a decision 
of a court of record. To request copies of opinions, phone (512) 462-0011. To 
inquire about pending requests for opinions, phone (512) 463-2110.

Office of the Attorney General

Open Records Requests

Parties interested in submitting a brief to the Attorney General concerning
 an ORQ are asked to please submit the brief no later than the 14th day from
 the date of publication in the Texas Register.

ORQ-15.Requested from Mr. David Motley, County
 Attorney Kerr County, County Courthouse, Suite B-20, 700 East Main Street,
 Kerrville, Texas 78028-5324, concerning whether certain information prepared
 by and in the custody of an architect who designed and constructed a county
 building is "public information" pursuant to the Texas Open Records Act,
 specifically sec.552.002 of the Government Code (ID# 100079-96).


ORQ-16.Requested from The Honorable David
 Sibley, State Senator, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711, concerning whether
 there is a law enforcement investigative exception under chapter 143 of the
 local government code which allows the release of information from one law
 enforcement agency to another law enforcement agency without the consent
 of the individual or the civil service commission director when an 
investigation
 is taking place (ID# 100235-96).


ORQ-17.Requested from The Honorable David
 Sibley, State Senator, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, Texas 78711, concerning whether
 a Housing Authority may obtain criminal history record information regarding
 housing applicants and whether a county may obtain criminal history record
 information regarding applicants for county employment pursuant to subchapter
 F of Chapter 411 of the Government Code (ID# 100236-96).


TRD-9610102