FOIFT, Author at Freedom of Information Foundation Texas

Attorney and former county judge Bill Aleshire to receive James Madison Award

FOIFT2025-09-03T16:39:27-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 3, 2025 AUSTIN – Bill Aleshire, an attorney devoted to protecting the public’s access to government information, will receive the prestigious James Madison Award for his decades-long commitment to upholding Texas’ open meetings and open records laws. Aleshire, who initially made his mark in government transparency as a public official and served as Travis County judge, more recently has worked as a zealous attorney ensuring government compliance with the state’s Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas bestows the James Madison Award for dedication to the principles of the First [...]

Attorney and former county judge Bill Aleshire to receive James Madison AwardFOIFT2025-09-03T16:39:27-05:00

Police records bill that raised transparency concerns dies in special session

FOIFT2025-09-04T09:32:01-05:00

UPDATE, Sept. 4: The Texas House adjourned its special session Wednesday night without taking action on the Senate version of the police records bill. The Senate had stripped out public access amendments the House had added. HB 15 is dead for this special session. UPDATE, Sept. 3: After the House approved HB 15 on Thursday with two amendments - one protecting the deceased suspect law passed in 2023 to allow public access to information when someone dies in police custody and the other protecting the rights of families in mass casualty events like Uvalde to view information - the bill moved [...]

Police records bill that raised transparency concerns dies in special sessionFOIFT2025-09-04T09:32:01-05:00

Appeals court orders release of Uvalde school shooting records

FOIFT2025-07-21T15:14:11-05:00

By Ayden Runnels The Texas Tribune Originally published July 16, 2025 A state appeals court judge on Wednesday ordered Uvalde County and its school district to release records and documents related to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, affirming a previous trial court order. A coalition of 18 news organizations, including The Texas Tribune, sued the City of Uvalde, Uvalde County and the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District in 2022 for access to body camera footage, 911 call records and communications made during the school shooting. Law enforcements’ response to Texas’ deadliest school shooting, in which 19 students and two teachers [...]

Appeals court orders release of Uvalde school shooting recordsFOIFT2025-07-21T15:14:11-05:00

Jan Crawford of CBS News to speak at Sept. 26 FOI Foundation conference

FOIFT2025-07-18T18:07:38-05:00

Jan Crawford, chief legal correspondent for CBS News and a recognized authority on the U.S. Supreme Court, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s FOI Foundation of Texas state conference on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Austin. Crawford's 2007 book “Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for the Control of the United States Supreme Court” gained critical acclaim and became an instant New York Times bestseller. She has also reported on most of the major judicial appointments and confirmation hearings of the past 30 years. Stay tuned for more information on the day’s detailed agenda, which will feature [...]

Jan Crawford of CBS News to speak at Sept. 26 FOI Foundation conferenceFOIFT2025-07-18T18:07:38-05:00

Why Gov. Greg Abbott won’t release his emails with Elon Musk

FOIFT2025-07-18T17:37:45-05:00

By Lauren McGaughy The Texas Newsroom Originally published July 14, 2025 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott doesn’t want to reveal months of communications with Elon Musk or representatives from the tech mogul’s companies, arguing in part that they are of a private nature, not of public interest and potentially embarrassing. Musk had an eventful legislative session in Texas this year. In addition to his lobbyists successfully advocating for several new laws, Abbott cited the Tesla and SpaceX CEO as the inspiration for the state creating its own efficiency office and has praised him for moving the headquarters for many of his businesses [...]

Why Gov. Greg Abbott won’t release his emails with Elon MuskFOIFT2025-07-18T17:37:45-05:00

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