Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee Introduces First County Database Cataloguing Commissioners Court Orders & County Policies
Houston, Texas (December 14, 2021) —Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee today announced a new database that—for the first time in the County’s history—will organize and catalogue Commissioners Court orders and County policies and make those records readily viewable to the public. The database, called the “Harris County Code,” will be searchable and will bring a new level of transparency, efficiency, and organization to County government.
The County Attorney Office retrieved decades’ worth of records and converted thousands of pages of orders and regulations into a digital format.
“Our office invested considerable time to compile and create a searchable database of County orders and policies, but the transparency gained and time saved for the public will be well worth it,” said County Attorney Christian D. Menefee. “Commissioners Court meets at least once every two weeks and at each meeting the agenda includes hundreds of items. We’re talking thousands of documents each year, each recording a decision made by County government. It’s important that County departments and the public be able to easily find and access those records. This database will make that possible.”
The Harris County Attorney’s Office is partnering with MuniCode, which codifies legal documents for local governments. The project is expected to launch within the next 60 days.
About the Harris County Attorney’s Office
Christian D. Menefee serves as the elected, top civil lawyer for Texas’ largest county. The Harris County Attorney’s Office represents the county in all civil matters including lawsuits. Menefee leads an office of 250 attorneys and staff members. He entered office at 32 years old, making him the youngest person and first African American elected as the Harris County Attorney.