FOIFT, Author at Freedom of Information Foundation Texas

Austin American-Statesman, KVUE and Odessa American win 2025 Spirit of FOI Awards

FOIFT2025-09-29T17:07:01-05:00

For Immediate Release Sept. 26, 2025 AUSTIN – Reporting on a secret decision to spend public money on a Travis County official’s home security system and a series of editorials and news stories about questionable ethics by Odessa city leaders have won this year’s Spirit of FOI Awards. The Austin American-Statesman and KVUE-TV in a joint reporting effort won the Class AA large market award, and the Odessa American won in the Class A smaller market category. The news outlets were honored at the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas state conference Friday. KXAN and The Texas Newsroom each received an [...]

Austin American-Statesman, KVUE and Odessa American win 2025 Spirit of FOI AwardsFOIFT2025-09-29T17:07:01-05:00

FOI Column: Open government impacts our lives in big ways

FOIFT2025-09-19T10:42:45-05:00

By Kelley Shannon If you wonder how open government laws affect you, think about these basics: The local taxes we pay. The roads we drive on. Even, sometimes, matters of life and death. Access to information through public meetings and records helps us know about the decisions elected officials are making on our behalf. It allows us to ask questions, to speak out, to demand change. After all, in our nation, government belongs to us. This summer’s deadly Hill Country flooding underscores the need for openness and accountability to enhance public safety. Questions have arisen about transparency surrounding evacuation plans, warning [...]

FOI Column: Open government impacts our lives in big waysFOIFT2025-09-19T10:42:45-05:00

Register for the Sept. 26 FOIFT state conference

FOIFT2025-09-12T13:43:45-05:00

The FOI Foundation of Texas annual state conference is almost here. Register now to join us Friday, Sept. 26, in Austin for a powerful lineup of speakers and panel discussions. CLICK HERE to register for the Sept. 26 conference. This year’s conference “We the People: Holding Government Accountable” is Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Austin featuring luncheon keynote speaker Jan Crawford, chief legal correspondent for CBS News and a recognized authority on the Supreme Court. Her 2007 book, “Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court” gained critical acclaim and became an instant [...]

Register for the Sept. 26 FOIFT state conferenceFOIFT2025-09-12T13:43:45-05:00

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

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