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House Elections Committee hears election notice bills

2015-03-30T22:30:19-05:00

The Texas House Elections Committee was hearing two bills Monday that would move election notice information from newspapers to government websites. House Bill 1499 by Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston,would allow a newspaper notice to state only a website address at which readers could go find election polling place locations, rather than listing all the locations. House Bill 2644 by Rep. Cesar Jose Blanco, D-El Paso, would allow election boundary locations to be listed online on a government website rather than in a newspaper. Blanco indicated he is willing to work with opponents of his bill to change its language. The Freedom [...]

House Elections Committee hears election notice bills2015-03-30T22:30:19-05:00

Tyler Morning Telegraph: Tax deals should be open records

2015-03-26T15:07:44-05:00

Editorial Tyler Morning Telegraph Originally published March 25, 2015 One of the best ideas to come out of this year’s Sunshine Week — a week dedicated to open and accountable government — is a bipartisan movement in Austin to change the way governing bodies such as cities and counties do economic development. An “Economic Development Transparency Coalition” has formed, calling on the Legislature to change the Open Meetings Act and the Public Information Act to make economic development matters — like tax incentives and abatements — open to the public. The Coalition includes conservative groups, such as the Texas Public Policy [...]

Tyler Morning Telegraph: Tax deals should be open records2015-03-26T15:07:44-05:00

Dallas Morning News Opinion Blog: Bill to make birth dates confidential is dead

2015-03-25T19:59:52-05:00

By Rodger Jones Dallas Morning News Originally published March 25, 2015 Just got off the phone with the office of Rep. Cindy Burkett to fact-check her bill (HB 2766) that would have amended the Texas Open Records Act to keep birth dates confidential. Here’s an unexpected fact I learned: Burkett will not ask for a hearing on this legislation, according to her chief of staff, Allison Billodeau. That means the bill is dead. That’s good for the public’s right to know. (It’s a semi-bummer for me, since I had an editorial written and ready to go on this proposal.) This is [...]

Dallas Morning News Opinion Blog: Bill to make birth dates confidential is dead2015-03-25T19:59:52-05:00

Senators hear testimony on police body cameras

2015-03-24T21:31:50-05:00

AUSTIN  _ Legislation that would supply and train Texas police officers with body cameras remains "a work in progress" but it's important to start debating the issue, Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, told a state Senate committee Tuesday. Confrontations involving police and citizens across the nation point to the potential usefulness of police body cameras, West said, adding the time "is ripe for public consideration." The Senate Criminal Justice Committee heard testimony on his Senate Bill 158, which West said sets out guidelines for local police agencies to use in setting body camera policies. He noted that a committee substitute and upcoming [...]

Senators hear testimony on police body cameras2015-03-24T21:31:50-05:00

After impromptu toll road debate, Dallas mayor warns of open meetings violation

2015-03-23T15:24:41-05:00

By Robert Wilonsky The Dallas Morning News Originally published March 20, 2015 Two weeks ago a couple of Dallas City Council members debated the pros and cons of a toll road between the Trinity River levees. And, as it turns out, Mayor Mike Rawlings isn’t happy about it. At all. On Wednesday he sent the council a memo telling them to stop talking about things that aren’t on the council’s agenda. Insists Rawlings, doing so violates the Texas Open Meetings Act. The toll road wasn’t on the council’s agenda, but the debate — pitting pro-roader Rick Callahan against Scott Griggs — [...]

After impromptu toll road debate, Dallas mayor warns of open meetings violation2015-03-23T15:24:41-05:00

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