Open Records Request

Texas Government Code, Chapter 552 known as the Public Information Act (the “Public Information Act” or the “Act”) gives the public the right to request access to government information. The Act is triggered when a person submits a written request to a governmental body. The request must ask for records or information already in existence. The Act does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions. In preparing a request, a person may want to ask the governmental body what information is available.

A person may ask to view the information, get copies of the information, or both. If a request is for copies of information, the governmental body may charge for the copies. If a request is only for an opportunity to inspect information, then usually the governmental body may not impose a charge on the requestor. However, under certain limited circumstances, a  governmental body may impose a charge for access to information. All charges imposed by a governmental body for copies or for access to information must comply with the rules prescribed by the Office of the Attorney General (“OAG”) unless another statute authorizes a governmental body to set its own charges 

All government information is presumed to be available to the public, although certain exclusions may apply. The City Secretary has ten (10) working business days, by law, to fulfill records requests.

~Adapted from Public Information Act 2018 Handbook published by the Texas Attorney General’s Office

Request a Record or Document 

1. Submit the request online.
2. Download the Public Information Request Form (PDF) and email it to openrecords@keenetx.com.
3. Mail to:City of Keene
   Attn: City Secretary - Open Records
   1000 N. Old Betsy Rd, Cleburne, TX 76031

Please be as specific as possible as to the records you are requesting. 

Obtaining Police Crash Reports

All police crash reports can be obtained by visiting: C.R.I.S. Purchase. No public information request is needed.

Associated Fees

Charges for your public information request may vary depending on the number of responsive records and personnel time required to process your request. Generally, the City will charge $0.10 per page and $15.00 an hour for labor depending on the number of pages to be produced. If the charges exceed $40.00, the City will provide you a written, itemized statement of estimated charges. If the charges exceed $100.00, the City will provide you a written, itemized statement of estimated charges; however, to process your request, the City requires full payment of the total estimated amount.

Follow the link to the Texas Administrative Code: Charges for Providing Copies of Public Information.

Additional Resources

• 2018 Public Information Handbook (PDF)
• Tips on Requesting Public Information
• Public Information Act
• Attorney General's Webpage on Open Government

For additional information, please contact the City Secretary's office.