The Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) applies to state legislators. By definition, legislators make requests for legislative continuances in their capacity as public officials. According to section 552.022(17) of the TPIA, “information that is also contained in a public court record” is public information unless “expressly confidential under other law.” Therefore, legislators, who are granted continuances solely by virtue of their office, should be required to disclose as public information any documents relating to those continuances.The exact language of the Civil Practice Code governing legislative continuances follows.
Civil Practice and Remedies Code, § 30.003, Legislative Continuance
(a) This section applies to any criminal or civil suit, including matters of probate, and to any matters ancillary to the suit that require action by or the attendance of an attorney, including appeals but excluding temporary restraining orders.(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), at any time within 30 days of a date when the legislature is to be in session, at any time during a legislative session, or when the legislature sits as a constitutional convention, the court on application shall continue a case in which a party applying for the continuance or the attorney for that party is a member of the legislature and will be or is attending a legislative session. The court shall continue the case until 30 days after the date on which the legislature adjourns.
(c) If the attorney for a party to the case is a member of the legislature who was employed within 10 days before the date on which the suit is set for trial, the continuance is discretionary with the court.
(d) The party seeking the continuance must file with the court an affidavit stating the grounds for the continuance. The affidavit is proof of the necessity for a continuance. The affidavit need not be corroborated.
(e) If the member of the legislature is an attorney for a party, the affidavit must contain a declaration that it is the attorney's intention to participate actively in the preparation or presentation of the case and that the attorney has not taken the case for the purpose of obtaining a continuance under this section.
(f) The continuance provided by Subsection (b) is one of right and may not be charged against the party receiving it on any subsequent application for continuance.