FOI Foundation of Texas 2020 Awards Show
FOIFT2020-11-10T20:10:20-06:00To watch a replay of today's FOI Foundation awards and highlights online show, tune in here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAulK5ATfs8&feature=youtu.be
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The Highlander and The Dallas Morning News win 2020 Spirit of FOI Awards
FOIFT2020-10-29T23:10:39-05:00October 28, 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUSTIN – Two Texas news organizations have won Spirit of FOI Awards for reporting on a city’s potential free speech and open meetings violations and for waging a legal battle to obtain public records in a fatal police encounter. The Nancy Monson Spirit of FOI Award, presented by the non-profit Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, highlights journalism that upholds the First Amendment rights of free speech and free press and promotes or uses open government laws such as the Texas Public Information Act. The winners – The Highlander of Marble Falls and The Dallas Morning [...]
When ‘Live PD’ cameras rolled, Williamson County deputies used more violence
FOIFT2020-10-27T17:24:12-05:00By Julie Chang and Tony PlohetskiAustin American-StatesmanOriginally published Oct. 23, 2020 The kind of violence Imani Nembhard experienced in April 2019 became increasingly common in Williamson County after Sheriff Robert Chody invited the camera crews of “Live PD” to feature his department. An American-Statesman analysis of 124 use-of-force reports shows that violent encounters between Williamson County sheriff’s deputies and civilians nearly doubled from 43 in 2017 — the year before “Live PD” joined the department — to 82 in 2019. During the weeks when the reality TV show filmed with the department, deputies used force significantly more often than during weeks [...]
FOI Column: Even during a pandemic, government must be open with easy access
FOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:20-05:00By Kelley Shannon Reopening public places amid the COVID-19 pandemic should certainly be carried out with caution. Government offices are no exception. Yet citizens must have the ability to watch over their government, even during an emergency. Especially during an emergency. It’s long past time to reopen public access to government records and meetings that have been shut off for months. This can happen even if government employees continue to work from home for safety reasons. The Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act – two major open government laws that help us learn about everything from local zoning [...]
Legal standards for release of police body camera video
FOIFT2022-06-30T15:53:27-05:00Editors Note: The Texas body camera statute is contained in the Texas Occupations Code. Section 1701.661 governs public release of body cam footage.) -- By Paul Watler Cell phone videos captured in the street of police use of force involving citizens seem commonplace of late. The videos go viral on social media and dominate ensuing news cycles on television and in print media. But it is not commonplace for the public to see - or news organizations to obtain - official body camera video of the incidents. In fact, current law in most states permits law enforcement to routinely withhold officer body camera footage [...]