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Wichita County rescinds 2022 open-records webform requirement after bot-driven requests
Summary
The commissioners voted unanimously to rescind a 2022 court order that required all open-records requests to go through a centralized web form or email, citing a surge in automated and out-of-country requests that burdened the civil attorney’s office.
The Wichita County Commissioners Court voted 5-0 on July 1 to rescind court order 22.1031.759, which had required all open-records requests to be submitted via a county web form or a designated open-records email address.
County officials said the 2022 requirement had unintentionally concentrated a large volume of requests — including many that appear to be automated or originate from outside the United States — on the civil attorney’s office, creating extra work and security concerns. The court approved rescinding the order and returning receipt responsibilities to elected officials and department heads while retaining the civil office as the central point for legal support.
A county representative described the pattern as "mainly data ... solely data mining" and said the volume of requests had grown dramatically in recent months, straining staff resources. County leaders emphasized that members of the public may still submit open-records requests by written mail, hand delivery, or email to elected officials or department heads using the same forms they have used previously. Officials asked that those recipients forward records requests to the civil office for legal review and tracking.
The motion to rescind court order 22.1031.759 was made by Commissioner Mahler and seconded by Commissioner Beauchamp; the vote was 5-0. County staff said the civil attorney’s office will assist departments in responding to requests to make sure the county remains in compliance with state public-records law.
