CORPUS CHRISTI – Transparency experts will gather Tuesday, Feb. 25, in Corpus Christi for a seminar examining updates to state open government laws and offering training on the Texas Public Information Act and the Texas Open Meetings Act.
Rep. Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi is hosting the one-day open government conference, joined by the non-profit Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas in cooperation with the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
“Open government and transparency are priorities for the public. We need to encourage accessibility and fairness in the public information gathering process. Freedom of information is key to effective government,” Hunter said.
The event is open to all who are interested, including journalists, attorneys, public employees, companies doing business with the government and the general public.
“Fully participating in our democracy means having access to information. This seminar will inform citizens and public officials about using our Texas open government laws,” said Kelley Shannon, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas.
The seminar will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Del Mar Center for Economic Development, 3209 South Staples St. It is free, and meals are included, although registration is required at https://opengovcc.eventbrite.com.
Hunter will lead an opening panel discussion at 8:45 a.m., followed by training sessions on public records and open meetings laws, which are approved by the Attorney General’s Office as meeting the state requirements for open government training for public officials.