Commissioners say large or repetitive public information requests strain county staff and may require extra time or counsel

Frank Fisher, a local historian and resident of Hallettsville, told the Lavaca County Commissioners Court on Jan. 27 that county records are vital to public research and urged that information remain accessible and affordable for citizens conducting historical work.

Commissioners and staff described an administrative burden from large or repetitive Public Information Act (PIA) requests. The county reported receiving at times hundreds of emails or requests that require significant staff time to compile, and officials said some requesters submit repeated or broad requests that functionally create review and production work beyond routine document retrieval. The court noted that while it will continue to produce existing documents, it is not required to perform research, compile new reports or answer open-ended questions for requesters.

County officials said they have referred some questions to the Texas Association of Counties (TAC) and may seek Attorney General guidance when requests are unusually broad or require extensive legal review. The county also warned that producing large datasets — for example, septic-tank records spanning multiple years — can consume time and may require additional response time beyond the standard 10 business days, or the involvement of outside counsel.

While officials urged respectful use of the PIA process, they emphasized they do not intend to discourage legitimate requests. The court said it will continue to supply documents that exist in county records but will not create new documents or answer research questions on the public's behalf.