Tex. Gov't Code § 551.146 · Subchapter G. ENFORCEMENT AND REMEDIES; CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS
DISCLOSURE OF CERTIFIED AGENDA OR RECORDING OF CLOSED MEETING; OFFENSE; PENALTY; CIVIL LIABILITY.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) An individual, corporation, or partnership that without lawful authority knowingly discloses to a member of the public the certified agenda or recording of a meeting that was lawfully closed to the public under this chapter:
(1) commits an offense; and
(2) is liable to a person injured or damaged by the disclosure for:
(A) actual damages, including damages for personal injury or damage, lost wages, defamation, or mental or other emotional distress;
(B) reasonable attorney fees and court costs; and
(C) at the discretion of the trier of fact, exemplary damages.
(b) An offense under Subsection (a)(1) is a Class B misdemeanor.
(c) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a)(1) and an affirmative defense to a civil action under Subsection (a)(2) that:
(1) the defendant had good reason to believe the disclosure was lawful; or
(2) the disclosure was the result of a mistake of fact concerning the nature or content of the certified agenda or recording.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Amended by:
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 471), Sec. 17, eff. May 18, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 471), Sec. 18, eff. May 18, 2013.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.551.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 1036d6d1d599dad0edfbade5c028b807bc9172136b158f4576567e6336aff5c9
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
Cited by 2 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Gov't Code § 551.146. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.