Date 09/30/02

Contact: FOIFT office, (214) 977-6658

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOIFT to Co-Sponsor Open Government Symposium in El Paso

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General of Texas and the Texas Association of Regional Councils, will present the fourth Open Government seminar Friday, October 25, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.   The seminar is hosted by the University of Texas at El Paso, Department of Communications and will be held at the UTEP Student Union, Tomas Rivera Conference Room.   Open Government 2002: A Symposium on Access to Public Information and Open Meetings in Texas will include in-depth discussions of the Texas Public Information Act and the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Open Government is a traveling symposium designed to develop and enhance understanding of the changing landscape of an open government. Sessions will address hot topics in public information and open meetings laws. The symposium is directed toward the general public, government employees, elected officials and representatives of the media.

The seminar is free, however early registration is recommended due to space limitations.   Meals are not provided as a part of the seminar, but a 90-minute lunch break is included in the schedule.

Presenters for this seminar include: David Donaldson, founding partner of George & Donaldson; attorney Joel White, of Ogden, Gibson, White & Broocks, L.L.P.; Hadassah Schloss, open records administrator for the Texas Building and Procurement Commission; and representatives from the Office of the Attorney General, Amanda Crawford and James Tourtelott.

For questions, call the FOIFT office at (214) 977-6658.   To register, call TARC at (512) 478-4715, or complete a registration form available on the FOIFT web site at www.foift.org , and fax or mail to TARC at (512) 478-5014, 1305 San Antonio, Austin, TX 78701.  

The State Bar of Texas will award five (5) MCLE credit hours for participation in the Open Government seminar.

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas works to encourage, sponsor and facilitate a greater appreciation, knowledge and understanding of the First Amendment. By educating media and legal professionals, educators, students, public and government officials and individual citizens about their rights and responsibilities as citizens, the FOIFT strives to preserve the freedoms necessary in a democratic republic.

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supported through grants from private citizens, corporations, foundations and tax deductible donations. For more information, call (214) 977-6658, or visit our web page, www.foift.org .

###