FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Marlena Villers

214.977.6658

FOIFT to Co-Sponsor Open Government Symposium in Dallas

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General of Texas and the Texas Municipal League, will sponsor the first 2004 Open Government seminar on Friday, April 2, in Dallas. The seminar will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the main auditorium of the J. Erik Jonsson Library (Central branch) at 1515 Young Street.  Open Government 2004: 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.

Scheduled presenters include attorney Thomas J. Williams a partner in the law office of Haynes and Boone, L.L.P; Michael Pearle from the Office of the Attorney General of Texas; and Hadassah Schloss with the Texas Building and Procurement Commission.

Open Government 2004 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 cost of the seminar is $20.  Advance registration is recommended due to limited space.  Meals are not provided, however, a 90-minute lunch break allows time for participants to travel to area restaurants.

To register, contact the FOIFT office at 214.977.6658, or complete a registration form available on the FOIFT web site at www.foift.org and fax or mail to FOIFT at 214.977.6666, 400 S. Record St., Dallas, TX  75202.  

Additional Open Government 2004 seminars are being planned for the Valley and Midland.

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.

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