City of Pearland, TX
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Public Records
City of Pearland promotes an open and responsive government. The City Secretary’s Office provides information in accordance with the Public Information Act by responding to all public information requests.
How to submit a Public Information Request
In accordance with the Texas Public Information Act, all requests for public information must be made in writing and should identify:
- the records needed; and,
- provide the requester's contact information such as mailing address, phone number, or email.
City of Pearland is committed to open government and transparency by providing access to public records. The City processes all public information requests through the online portal, which allows such requests to be submitted online. Members of the public can track their request and, when fulfilled, download any responsive records from the online portal or request that access to responsive information be provided to them through other means. Please note that some records may require a processing fee. Upon receipt, the City of Pearland will begin processing your request in the order received. Requests should be for documents, or other information that is already in existence.
All public records will be made available to the public as requested, as expeditiously as possible, unless the law provides for an exception to disclosure. Such exceptions may include but are not limited to:
- Bank account and routing numbers (Tex. Gov't Code § 552.136)
- Credit card number and expiration date (Tex. Gov't Code § 552.136)
- Date of birth (Tex. Gov't Code § 552.101 + common-law privacy)
- Driver’s license number (Tex. Gov't Code § 552.130)
- Email address (Tex. Gov't Code § 552.137)
- Insurance policy number (Tex. Gov't Code § 552.136)
- License plate number (Tex. Gov't Code § 552.130)
- Personal identification number (Tex. Gov't Code § 552.147)
- Social Security numbers (Tex. Gov't Code § 552.147)
City of Pearland is not required to answer questions, create documents or records; create statistics or other analyses; perform legal research, or comply with a continuing request to supply information on a periodic basis. It is important to be as specific as possible when requesting public records. If the request is vague or City staff cannot determine what information would be responsive to the request as drafted, the City of Pearland may ask you to clarify your request in order to determine specifically what records are responsive. Some responsive records may be exempt from disclosure as provided by law. If the City of Pearland determines that some or all of the responsive documents are potentially confidential or privileged by law the City of Pearland must write to the Attorney General of Texas requesting a determination as to whether or not these responsive documents may be released to the requestor. Should the City of Pearland require a determination from the Attorney General, you will be notified and updated when the Attorney General makes its determination regarding the confidentiality of the responsive documents.
To submit a Public Information Request, please visit the Public Information Request Center.
Search Public Documents
Search our Online Records Portal to find a variety of public records online, such as Agendas, Minutes, Ordinances, Resolutions, and Election Information.
For more information on how to request public information, please visit The Attorney General of Texas website.
Public Information Act
The Texas Public Information 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 the governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions. The request must ask for records or information already in existence. The governmental body has up to 10 business days to respond to the request.
State law allows the city to recover costs associated with open records requests. These are set rates through the Texas Administrative Code. See Charges Associated with Open Records Requests
Note: Although the Texas Public Information Act makes most government information available to the public, some exceptions exist. If an exception might apply and the governmental body wishes to withhold the information, the governmental body generally must, within 10 business days of receiving the request, refer the matter to the Office of the Attorney General for a ruling on whether an exception applies. For more information on the Texas Public Information Act, please visit the Texas Attorney General Website.