| (a) Procedures for inspection of public records are
in accordance with Texas Government Code, Chapter 552, and as further
described in this section.
(b) The HHSC Regulatory Services Division is responsible
for the maintenance and release of records on licensed facilities
and other related records.
(c) The application for inspection of public records
is subject to the following criteria.
(1) The application must be made to Regulatory Services,
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Mail Code E-349, P.O.
Box 149030, Austin, Texas 78714-9030.
(2) The requester must identify himself or herself.
(3) The requester must specify the records requested.
(4) On written applications, if HHSC is unable to ascertain
what records are being requested, HHSC may return the written application
to the requester for clarification.
(5) HHSC provides the requested records as soon as
possible; however, if the records are in active use, or in storage,
or time is needed for proper de-identification or preparation of the
records for inspection, HHSC so advises the requester and sets an
hour and date within a reasonable time when the records will be available.
(d) Original records may be inspected or copied, but
in no instance will original records be removed from HHSC offices.
(e) HHSC Regulatory Services charges for copies of
records requested.
(1) If the requester wants to inspect records without
requesting copies, the requester specifies the records to be inspected.
HHSC does not charge this service, unless the director of HHSC Regulatory
Services determines a charge is appropriate based on the nature of
the request.
(2) If the requester wants copies of a record, the
requester specifies in writing the records to be copied on an appropriate
HHSC form, and HHSC completes the form by specifying the cost of the
records, which the requester must pay in advance. Checks and other
instruments of payment must be made payable to the Texas Health and
Human Services Commission.
(3) Any expenses for standard-size copies incurred
in the reproduction, preparation, or retrieval of records must be
borne by the requester on a cost basis in accordance with costs established
by the Office of the Attorney General or HHSC for office machine copies.
All applicable sales taxes are added to the cost of copying records.
(4) For documents that are mailed, HHSC charges for
postage at the time it charges for the production.
(5) When a request involves information pertaining
to multiple facilities, HHSC may consider each facility's information
a separate request.
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