By Sean Collins Walsh
Austin American-Statesman
Originally published Nov. 29, 2018
The Texas attorney general’s office has ruled that the Department of Family and Protective Services violated the state’s freedom-of-information law in its handling of a records request related to child deaths in day cares.
The ruling comes after the American-Statesman in May requested the agency’s reports on deaths that occurred in Texas day cares over the past five years. The agency has maintained that state law requires it to keep the documents confidential.
The newspaper and its parent company, GateHouse Media, in August filed suit in Travis County district court, challenging the agency’s interpretation of the law and alleging it violated its responsibilities under the Texas Public Information Act by missing deadlines for responding to records requests and seeking permission to withhold records.