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The Highlander and The Dallas Morning News win 2020 Spirit of FOI Awards

FOIFT2020-10-29T23:10:39-05:00

October 28, 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUSTIN – Two Texas news organizations have won Spirit of FOI Awards for reporting on a city’s potential free speech and open meetings violations and for waging a legal battle to obtain public records in a fatal police encounter. The Nancy Monson Spirit of FOI Award, presented by the non-profit Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, highlights journalism that upholds the First Amendment rights of free speech and free press and promotes or uses open government laws such as the Texas Public Information Act. The winners – The Highlander of Marble Falls and The Dallas Morning [...]

The Highlander and The Dallas Morning News win 2020 Spirit of FOI AwardsFOIFT2020-10-29T23:10:39-05:00

FOI Column: Even during a pandemic, government must be open with easy access

FOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:20-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Reopening public places amid the COVID-19 pandemic should certainly be carried out with caution. Government offices are no exception. Yet citizens must have the ability to watch over their government, even during an emergency. Especially during an emergency. It’s long past time to reopen public access to government records and meetings that have been shut off for months. This can happen even if government employees continue to work from home for safety reasons. The Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act – two major open government laws that help us learn about everything from local zoning [...]

FOI Column: Even during a pandemic, government must be open with easy accessFOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:20-05:00

Transparency panel addresses open government concerns amid COVID-19 pandemic

FOIFT2020-10-07T23:38:19-05:00

Requestors seeking government records using the Texas Public Information Act are running into roadblocks during the COVID-19 pandemic. A panel of journalists and open government experts addressed their concerns and questions during an online policy discussion Wednesday hosted by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini and co-hosted by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, the Texas Association of Broadcasters and the Texas Press Association. View a recording of online event on the senator's Facebook page. Several questions from audience members centered on government offices saying they are not filling Public Information Act requests because their offices are closed or are operating on [...]

Transparency panel addresses open government concerns amid COVID-19 pandemicFOIFT2020-10-07T23:38:19-05:00

Join Texas open government webinar Wednesday, Oct. 7

FOIFT2020-10-06T16:26:30-05:00

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and other open government advocates are joining Sen. Judith Zaffirini for a free online webinar she is hosting tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 1:30 p.m. Panelists include Sen. Zaffirini; Justin Gordon, chief of the attorney general's office open records division; investigative journalist Jaie Avila of WOAI-TV in San Antonio; and moderator Julie Fine of KXAS-TV in Fort Worth-Dallas. Register in advance at http://bit.ly/TXPressZoom.

Join Texas open government webinar Wednesday, Oct. 7FOIFT2020-10-06T16:26:30-05:00

FOI Foundation planning fall online conference series

FOIFT2020-08-12T19:14:00-05:00

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, which is not holding an in-person state conference this year because of the coronavirus, instead is planning fall online programs to explore leading open government issues. These online discussions will focus on transparency matters related to the COVID-19 pandemic, modern-day challenges surrounding the Texas Public Information Act and other timely topics. An online awards celebration will honor the James Madison Award recipient, the Spirit of FOI Award winners and the State Bar's Texas Gavel Award winners. Detailed information on dates and times of the online programs will be coming soon. Stay tuned!

FOI Foundation planning fall online conference seriesFOIFT2020-08-12T19:14:00-05:00

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