(a) Open record requests. Inspection of Public Records under the Texas Open Records Act, Texas Civil Statutes, Title 5, Government Code, Chapter 552, provides that all of the records of the board are public records and are available for public inspection during normal business hours except that investigative files and records of the board are confidential. In addition, the exceptions to disclosure in Government Code, Chapter 552 may protect certain information. This rule is promulgated pursuant to Government Code, Chapter 552 to establish a records review process that is efficient, safe, and timely to the public and to the agency.
  (1) Requests must be in writing and reasonably identify the records requested.
  (2) Records access will be by appointment only.
  (3) Records access is available only during the regular business hours of the agency.
  (4) Unless confidential information is involved, review may be by physical access or by duplication at the requestor's option. Any person, however, whose request would be unduly disruptive to the ongoing business of the office may be denied physical access and will be provided the option of receiving copies. Costs of duplication shall be the responsibility of the requesting party in accordance with the established board fee policy, payable at the time of receipt of records, if a person; or in advance, if by mail. The board may, in its discretion, waive fees if it is in the public interest to do so.
  (5) When the safety of any public record is at issue, physical access may be denied and the records will be provided by duplication as previously described.
  (6) Confidential files will not be made available for inspection or for duplication except under certain circumstances, e.g., court order.
  (7) All open records request appointments will be referred to the executive director or designee before complying with a request.
  (8) The open records coordinator for the agency is the executive director and the alternate is the director's designee.
(b) Charges for copies of public records. The charge to any person requesting reproductions of any readily available record of the Texas State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners will be the charges established by the General Services Commission.
(c) The board may waive these charges if there is a public benefit. The executive director of the Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners is authorized to determine whether a public benefit exists on a case by case basis.

Source Note: The provisions of this §342.1 adopted to be effective November 11, 1993, 18 TexReg 7553; amended to be effective October 26, 1994, 19 TexReg 8113.