Trln TBxas Aschd lJNivnnslrv Svslnvt

Office of Ceneral Ccunsel

May 28,2008

Doug McBride
Public lnformation Coordinator
Communications DeParlment
Texas Department of State Health Services
I100 West 49s Street
Austin, Texas 78756
Information is Requested-
RE: Notice Statement to Persons Whose Proprietary
notice to a persoft whose proprietary interests
(A governmental bocly must provide this
maybealJ.ectedbyreleaseafinformationwithintenbusinessdaysafterreceiptofthe
written request for information)

Dear Mr. McBride:

TexasA&MUniversityreceivedafarmalpublicinfornratiorrrequestl}omMr.Craig A'
Johnson to inspect or copy someof itr t".orJr. e copy of this request is enslosed as Exhibit
to be proprietary and confidential to
The requested recorcls i*tuo* intbrmation w'e believe
DSHS.
matter' and they ra'ill issue a
The Oft-lce of the Attorney General is reviewing this
the inrbrmation yor-r are seeking to prCItect'
decision on whether Texas larv requires us to rerease
Generally, the l.exas
public Information Act (the "Act") requires trre release of requested
below, you have the right to object to the
information, but there are exceptions. As described l'nore
release of your recorcls by subnrritting written
algumenls to tlre attorney generalthat one or
to the attor$ey
exceptions apply to you, ,.rords. iou ** ooi required
to submit asguments
the O1fice of the Attorney Ceneral will
general, but if you decide not to ,uU*iiutgu*"ntu,
yorri recorcls from clisclosure' ln other lv.rds' if
presume that y'u have no i'terest in wittrtrotO]ng
more tlran likely rule that your records
you fail to rake timely action, the attorney gen-.iot r,r'ill
arguments, you must do so not later
must be released to the public. If you UeciOe to subrnit
thanthetenthbusiness^dayafterthcdateyoureceivethisnotice.

If you subrnit arguments to the attorney general' you must:

a) identify the legal exceptions that apply'

b) identity.tlre specific pafts of each io",rment that
are covered by each exception' and

c)explainwhyeachexceptionapplies,Gov'tCode$552.305(d).

Aclaimthatanexceptionapplieswithoutfurtherexplanationwillnotsuf{ice.Attomey
the infbrmation at issue in order
to review
General opinion H-436. You may contact this office of the request for
we will provicle the attorney general rn'ith a copy
to make youf arguments,

2C0 Technoloil \fla,v, Suite 2079 ' {loiiege Starion' Texas77845-3424

g79.4i8.6i2() ' 971).4)8.6110 fax ' r-'u'rv'tamus'edu
. Kim CaseY
May 28, 2008
Page 2

by the
information, along with other material required
information and a copy of the requested working days'
to issue a decision within 45
Act. The attorney general is generally iequired
General at the follora'ing
Please sencl your written comments to the ofTice of the Attorney
address:

Office of the AttorneY General

Open Records flivision
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, Texas 7871 l -2548
a copy of your communication
In addition, you are required to provitle the requestor with552.305(e). You may redact the
to the office of the Attorney General. Gov'i code it
$
oo;tains fhe substance of the requested
requestor,s copy of your communication to t5e extent
information, Gov't Code $ 552'305(e)'

CommonlY Raised ExeePtions

information, specific tests or f'actors for
In order fbr a governmental body to withhold requested in the
be met. Failure to meet these tests *ray result
the applicability of a claimed exception must
the most commonry*crairned exceptions in the
release crf requestecr i'fomration. w" have risted
and the leading oases or decisions
Government code conceming proprietary information
discussing them. This iisting is not intenaei
to limif a'y exceptions or statutes you may raise'

Section 552.101: lnformttion Made Confidential by Larv

Open Records Decision No' 652 (1997)'

or Financial lnformation
Section 552.110: Trade secrets and commercial

Trade S9crets:

In re Bctss,l l3 S.W-3d 735 (Tex' 2003)'

Hyelecorp.v.Hffines,3l4SW.zd763,776{T'ex'),cert'denied'358t]'s'898(1958)'
Open ReCords Decision No' 552 (1990)'

The commercial or financial information plong

of section^552.110 was amended by the seventy-
September 1' 1999'At the tirne of
sixth Legislature. The amendment became effective the amended provision'
form, there were no cases or opinions
publication of this construing
'Kim CaseY
May 28, 2008
Page 3

735 (Tex'
(construing
sii'inj, oi'ug*ui l'v Inri'Bo"^ 1 13 s'w'3d
Birnbaumv'AllianceoJ'Am.!nsurers,,994S.w,2d?66(Tex.App.-.Austin^1-999,pet.frled)
pr"uiouJu#i"" or section
2003).

Na||Parks&Conservati'tln'Ass,nv'fuIorton,498F,zd765{D'C'Cir.1974)'
639 (1996)'
Open Records Decision No"

section 552.113: Geological

or Geophysical Information

Open Recorcls Decision No' 627 (1994)'

Negotiation lnformation
Section 552.131: Economic Development please refer to the
about this notice or release of information under the Act,
if you have questions the
public Information Handbook pubrisrrJi l/rrt"o11..::lrh- Attomey General' or contact673'
at(877)
atiorney gerr"ral'r'6p"" Cou"**ent
rfotr# i'Gtz)478-OPEN (6736i or toll-free
6s39(8?7-oPEN"f;8:;{*".ili;1"iir'.p*liclnformationHandbookorAttorcey
tisteJ above, piease visit the attorney
general's website at
Generar opinions, including those
g*ff; opinions Librarv at (512) 936-1730'
http:/iwww."*g.*".i".us oirutt th" d#";;
SincerelY,
,rf f ne{',\;
Pnr. iT?flo
*p+<"ffi- '
scott A. Kelly
DePutY General Counset

Enclosures

cc: Office of the AttorneY General

OPen Records Division
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, Texas'l 87 | l-2548

Craig Johnson

Robert T. Bisor, III