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The Texas Public Information Act (PIA)

The Texas Public Information Act is a Texas law that gives you the right to access information held by Texas and local government agencies including Harris County Public Health (HCPH). It is similar to the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If you are requesting information via the PIA, please click here.

Please see Harris County's Process for PIA for more information.

Federal Government FOIA Information and Resources

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provide information and resources about the FOIA law, regulations, and exemptions. Both departments also provide answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and reference materials to help you in the FOIA submission process:

The DOJ FOIA page provides an overview of all federal government FOIA activities.
DOJ's FOIA.gov provides data and reports on requests received across the federal government along with information about the FOIA submission process.
The United States Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act (posted July 24, 2013) provides a comprehensive legal guide of the FOIA's procedural requirements, exemptions, and litigation considerations.
The HHS FOIA home page provides information about the FOIA and the submission process.

FOIA Law and Regulations

Law: The Freedom of Information Act (5 USC 552) (PDF | 136 KB)
Regulations: Regulations 45 CFR Part 5, Public Information