CONTACT:   Marlena Villers

214.977.6658

FOIFT to Co-Sponsor Open Government Symposium in Harlingen

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 second 2004 Open Government seminar on Friday, June 4, in Harlingen.  The seminar will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Liberty Hall of the Harlingen Cultural Arts Center at 576 ‘76 Drive.  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.  This seminar qualifies for 3.75 CLE credits.

Scheduled presenters include Joseph R. Larsen, an attorney with the law office of Ogden, Gibson, White, Broocks & Longoria, L.L.P.; Missy Cary, Chief of the Open Records Division with Office of the Attorney General of Texas; Hadassah Schloss, Open Records Administrator for the Texas Building and Procurement Commission; and Raika Hammond, legal counsel for the Texas Municipal League.

Open Government 2004 is a traveling symposium designed to develop and enhance understanding of the changing landscape of 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., Suite 240, Dallas, TX  75202.

The first Open Government 2004 was held April 2 in Dallas and a final 2004 seminar is being planned for Midland.

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, works to encourage, sponsor and facilitate a greater appreciation, knowledge and understanding of the First Amendment. The FOIFT strives to preserve the freedoms necessary in a democratic republic by educating media and legal professionals, educators, students, public and government officials and individual citizens about their rights and responsibilities as citizens.   For more information, call 214.977.6658, or visit our Web page, www.foift.org.

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