LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 202. DESTRUCTION AND ALIENATION OF RECORDS

	
					
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE

TITLE 6. RECORDS

SUBTITLE C. RECORDS PROVISIONS APPLYING TO MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER 202. DESTRUCTION AND ALIENATION OF RECORDS

Sec. 202.001.  DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS.  (a)  A local government record may be destroyed if:
(1)  the record is listed on a valid records control schedule and either its retention period has expired or it has been microfilmed or stored electronically in accordance with the requirements of Chapters 204 and 205;
(2)  the record appears on a list of obsolete records as provided by Section 203.044; or
(3)  the record is not listed on a records retention schedule issued by the commission and the local government provides notice to the commission at least 10 days before destroying the record as required by Section 441.169, Government Code.
(b)  The following records may be destroyed without meeting the conditions of Subsection (a):
(1)  records the destruction or obliteration of which is directed by an expunction order issued by a court pursuant to state law; and
(2)  records defined as exempt from scheduling or filing requirements by rules adopted by the commission or listed as exempt in a records retention schedule issued by the commission.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1248, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.
Amended by: 
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1149 (H.B. 557), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 533 (H.B. 1962), Sec. 13, eff. September 1, 2019.

Sec. 202.002.  LITIGATION AND OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS.  (a)  Regardless of any other provision of this subtitle or rules adopted under it, a local government record the subject matter of which is known by the custodian to be in litigation may not be destroyed until the litigation is settled.
(b)  Regardless of any other provision of this subtitle or rules adopted under it, a local government record subject to a request under Chapter 552, Government Code, may not be destroyed until the request is resolved.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1248, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(90), eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 202.003.  METHOD OF DESTRUCTION.  (a)  A local government record may be destroyed by burning, shredding, pulping, or burial in a landfill or by sale or donation for recycling purposes except as provided by Subsection (b).
(b)  Records to which public access is restricted under Chapter 552, Government Code, or other state law may be destroyed only by burning, pulping, or shredding.
(c)  A local government that sells or donates records for recycling purposes shall establish procedures for ensuring that the records are rendered unrecognizable as local government records by the recycler.
(d)  The director and librarian may approve other methods of destruction that render the records unrecognizable as local government records.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1248, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(90), eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 202.004.  ALIENATION OF RECORDS.  (a)  A local government record may be sold or donated, loaned, transferred, or otherwise passed out of the custody of a local government to any public institution of higher education, public museum, public library, or other public entity with the approval of the local government's records management officer and after the expiration of the record's retention period under the local government's records control schedule.
(b)  A local government record may not be sold or donated (except for the purposes of recycling), loaned, transferred, or otherwise passed out of the custody of a local government to any private college or university, private museum or library, private organization of any type, or an individual, except with the consent of the director and librarian and after the expiration of its retention period under the local government's records control schedule.
(c)  A records management officer or custodian may temporarily transfer a local government record to a person for the purposes of microfilming, duplication, conversion to electronic media, restoration, or similar records management and preservation procedures.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1248, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 86, Sec. 28, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 202.005.  RIGHT OF RECOVERY.  (a)  The governing body may demand and receive from any person any local government record in private possession created or received by the local government the removal of which was not authorized by law.
(b)  If the person in possession of a local government record refuses to deliver the record on demand, the governing body may petition the district court of the county in which the person resides for the return of the record.  If the court finds that the record is a local government record, the court shall order the return of the record.
(c)  As part of the petition to the district court or at any time after its filing, the governing body may petition to have the record seized pending the determination of the court if the governing body finds the record is in danger of being destroyed, mutilated, altered, secreted, or removed from the state.
(d)  The director and librarian may demand and receive from any person any local government record of permanent value in private possession.
(e)  If the person in possession of the local government record of permanent value refuses to deliver the record on demand, the director and librarian may ask the attorney general to petition for the recovery of the record as provided by this section.  As part of the petition or at any time after its filing, the attorney general may petition to have the record seized pending the determination of the court if the governing body finds the record is in danger of being destroyed, mutilated, altered, secreted, or removed from the state.
(f)  A local government record recovered as the result of a petition by the attorney general shall be transferred to the custody of the commission or, at the discretion of the director and librarian, be returned to the local government that originally had custody of the record.
(g)  If a local government refuses to deliver custody of a record to the commission as provided by Section 201.007, 201.008, or 203.050, the director and librarian may ask the attorney general to petition for recovery of the record.  If the court determines that the director and librarian has acted in accordance with Section 201.007, 201.008, or 203.050, as applicable, and with regard to Section 203.050, the court finds that the survival of the record is imperiled, the court shall order the record to be transferred to the custody of the commission.
(h)  If a governing body petitions a court for the recovery of a record under Subsection (b) and prevails or if the attorney general petitions a court for the recovery of a record under Subsection (e) or (g) and prevails, the court shall award attorney's fees and court costs to the prevailing party.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1248, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.

Sec. 202.006.  DESTRUCTION OF NONRECORD MATERIAL.  (a)  Material that is not included in the definition of a local government record and is described by Section 201.003(8)(A), (B), or (C) may be disposed of at the discretion of the custodian or the creator of the document, as applicable, subject to any policies developed in each local government or elective county office regarding the destruction.
(b)  Extra identical copies of a local government record to which public access is restricted under Chapter 552, Government Code, or other state law may be destroyed only by burning, pulping, or shredding.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1248, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(90), eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 202.007.  PERSONAL LIABILITY.  A custodian of local government records, records management officer, or other officer or employee of a local government may not be held personally liable for the destruction of a local government record if the destruction is in compliance with this subtitle and rules adopted under it.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1248, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.

Sec. 202.008.  PENALTY:  DESTRUCTION OR ALIENATION OF RECORD.  An officer or employee of a local government commits an offense if the officer or employee knowingly or intentionally violates this subtitle or rules adopted under it by destroying or alienating a local government record in contravention of this subtitle or by intentionally failing to deliver records to a successor in office as provided by Section 201.006(a).  An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1248, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.

Sec. 202.009.  PENALTY:  POSSESSION OF RECORD BY PRIVATE ENTITY.  (a)  A private college or university, a private museum or library, a private organization of any other type, or an individual commits an offense if the entity knowingly or intentionally acquires or possesses a local government record.  An offense under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor.
(b)  It is a defense to prosecution under this section that a private college, university, museum, or library, by agreement with the commission under Subchapter J, Chapter 441, Government Code, provides physical housing for a local government record the title to which has been vested in the commission.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1248, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.