RECORDS.

(a) Records of individuals listed by Section 615.003 or described by Section 615.024 and of survivors eligible for benefits under this chapter that are in the custody of the Employees Retirement System of Texas, an administering firm as defined by Section 1551.003, Insurance Code, a carrier as defined by Section 1551.007, Insurance Code, or another governmental agency acting with or on behalf of the retirement system are confidential and not subject to public disclosure, and the retirement system, administering firm, carrier, or governmental agency is not required to accept or comply with a request for a record or information about a record or to seek an opinion from the attorney general, because the records are exempt from the provisions of Chapter 552, except as otherwise provided by this section.

(b) Records may be released to an eligible survivor or to an authorized attorney, family member, or representative acting on behalf of the eligible survivor. The Employees Retirement System of Texas may release the records to an administering firm, carrier, agent, or attorney acting on behalf of the retirement system, to another governmental entity having a legitimate need for the information to perform the purposes of the retirement system, or to a party in response to a subpoena issued under applicable law.

(b-1) A record released or received by the retirement system under this section may be transmitted electronically, including through the use of an electronic signature or certification in a form acceptable to the retirement system. An unintentional disclosure to, or unauthorized access by, a third party related to the transmission or receipt of information under this section is not a violation by the retirement system of any law, including a law or rule relating to the protection of confidential information.

(c) The records of individuals listed by Section 615.003 or described by Section 615.024 and of eligible survivors remain confidential after release to a person as authorized by this section. The records of individuals listed by Section 615.003 or described by Section 615.024 and of eligible survivors may become part of the public record of an administrative or judicial proceeding related to an appeal filed under this chapter, unless the records are closed to public access by a protective order issued under applicable law.

(d) The retirement system has sole discretion in determining whether a record is subject to this section. For purposes of this section, a record includes any identifying information about any person, living or deceased, who is or was:

(1) an individual listed in Section 615.003 or described by Section 615.024; or

(2) a survivor, heir, or beneficiary of an individual listed in Section 615.003 or described by Section 615.024.