Mark your calendars and register today for the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas state conference, to be held in person on Friday, Sept. 24, at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center on the University of Texas campus.

Registration is also available for live virtual attendance for those who cannot make it in person. COVID-19 safety precautions, such as social distancing and other measures, will be in place.

Among the confirmed speakers and panelists are Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, a candidate for attorney general; state Rep. Joe Moody of El Paso; Eva Ruth Moravec of the Texas Justice Initiative; and Jaie Avila of WOAI-TV in San Antonio. More speakers will be announced soon.

Highlights of the conference include presentation of the FOI Foundation’s James Madison Award to an open government and First Amendment champion; the Spirit of FOI Awards to two Texas news organizations; and the State Bar of Texas’ Gavel Awards to outstanding journalists.

If you are traveling to Austin, a conference hotel room rate of $205 is available for Thursday night, Sept. 23, through this reservation link. The deadline for this hotel rate is Sept. 3.

Please reach out to FOI Foundation executive director Kelley Shannon at [email protected] with any questions.