Source: https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/opinions/openrecords/50abbott/orl/2002/htm/or200207175.htm
Timestamp: 2018-01-17 03:11:34
Document Index: 325467410

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552']

Abbott Open Records Letter Ruling OR2002-7175
OR2002-7175
You ask whether certain information is subject to required public disclosure under chapter 552 of the Government Code. Your request was assigned ID# 173685.
You inform this office that the Texas Mutual Insurance Company (the "company") received a written request for all information identifying the policyholders participating in the company's Start program. You state that the requestor also seeks information about the policies themselves, including classification codes, payroll by code, premium amounts, and experience modifiers. You contend that the requested information is excepted from required disclosure pursuant to sections 552.101 and 552.110 of the Government Code.
We first address a procedural matter. Section 552.301 of the Government Code dictates the procedure that a governmental body must follow when it seeks a decision from the attorney general as to whether requested information falls within an exception to disclosure. Among other requirements, the governmental body must submit to this office "a copy of the written request for information." Gov't Code § 552.301(e)(1)(B). Otherwise, the requested information "is presumed to be subject to required public disclosure and must be released unless there is a compelling reason to withhold the information." Gov't Code § 552.302.
We did not receive a copy of the written request in your submission to this office. However, a demonstration that information is deemed confidential by law constitutes a"compelling" reason for withholding information from the public. See Open Records Decision No. 150 (1977) (demonstration that information is made confidential by statute or comes under protection of exception to disclosure intended to protect privacy interests constitutes compelling reason for non-disclosure). Because section 552.101 of the Government Code protects "information considered to be confidential by law," we will consider your section 552.101 claim.
You contend that the requested information is made confidential under section 2(d) of article 5.76-3 of the Insurance Code. Section 2(d) of article 5.76-3 provides:
Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, the company is subject to the open meetings law, Chapter 551, Government Code, and the open records law, Chapter 552, Government Code. The board may hold closed meetings to consider and refuse to release information relating to claims, rates, the company's underwriting guidelines, and other information that would give advantage to competitors or bidders.
You inform us that the Start program
is the Company's program for those businesses that do not qualify for the Company's voluntary market programs. Those accounts are examined each year, and depending on claims experience, compliance with loss prevention suggestions, and other underwriting factors, may be transferred to a voluntary program. The accounts may move between programs from year to year. The information sought by the requestor as to the Start program policyholders this year may in fact be competitive information about policyholders in the voluntary market in another year.
After reviewing your arguments and the documents at issue, we conclude that you have demonstrated that the release of the requested information would "give advantage to competitors or bidders" for purposes of section 2(d) of article 5.76-3. The company therefore may withhold the requested information pursuant to section 552.101 of the Government Code.(1)
This ruling triggers important deadlines regarding the rights and responsibilities of the governmental body and of the requestor. For example, governmental bodies are prohibited from asking the attorney general to reconsider this ruling. Gov't Code § 552.301(f). If the governmental body wants to challenge this ruling, the governmental body must appeal by filing suit in Travis County within 30 calendar days. Id. § 552.324(b). In order to get the full benefit of such an appeal, the governmental body must file suit within 10 calendar days. Id. § 552.353(b)(3), (c). If the governmental body does not appeal this ruling and the
governmental body does not comply with it, then both the requestor and the attorney general have the right to file suit against the governmental body to enforce this ruling. Id. § 552.321(a).
Ref:	ID# 173685
c:	Mr. Todd Fagan
C/O Mary Barrow Nichols
221 West 6th, Suite 300
1. Because we resolve your request under section 2(d) of article 5.76-3, we need not address your other arguments for non-disclosure.