Kelley Shannon, executive director of Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, is no stranger to requesting open records from government agencies. Shannon worked for three decades as a journalist for multiple news outlets.

She answered Community Impact's questions about how to most effectively request and use public information.

CI: What items interest the public the most?

KS: It depends on your viewpoint, but if you are following a certain taxing entity or a local government, there are documents you might not be able to find online or that you might want more explanation on. Financial documents are definitely something that many members of the public are interested in, sometimes police reports if someone is involved in a certain car accident.

CI: Do you have any tips?

KS: The main thing is, keep it very specific and keep it as narrow as possible. If you just ask for a wide range of documents, you might be flooded with a lot more than you wanted and it could ring up some costs involved in it. Think about what you are trying to get, if there is a time frame. Keep it specific. That helps you as the requester get the information you are after.

CI: Anything else important to know?

KS: The governmental entity cannot ask you why you want the information. That is forbidden. You can tell them why and then that might help you get at the documents more easily, or they might give you some tips.

Also, remember that the Texas Public Information Act is triggered when you put the request in writing. If you put it in writing, even if you don't mention the Public Information Act, that is a request and then certain deadlines kick in.

CI: What happens if the agency doesn't give you the information?

KS: If they tell you they don't have any such documents, unless you know otherwise, you are probably going to have to take them on their word. If you feel like you are being lied to, you can file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General.

The [ten days deadline from requesting] is just if they are going to try to withhold documents, they need to get you an excuse why they can't provide them before that day. They really are supposed to get you the documents even sooner than that. If it is going to be more than the 10 days, they need to tell you why.