FOIFT, Author at Freedom of Information Foundation Texas

Submit your entries for 2019 Spirit of FOI Award

FOIFT2019-04-29T16:41:45-05:00

The FOI Foundation of Texas is pleased to announce 2019 guidelines for the Nancy Monson Spirit of FOI Award contest. The contest is open to newspaper, broadcast and online media. The Spirit of FOI Award recognizes outstanding work in promoting open government and the public’s right to know. The deadline for submission of entries is Friday, May 31, 2019. Nominations must be for work published or broadcast in calendar year 2018. A nomination can be a single news story or series; an editorial or series of editorials; columns; editorial cartoons; or a community FOI project. There is a limit of one [...]

Submit your entries for 2019 Spirit of FOI AwardFOIFT2019-04-29T16:41:45-05:00

Open government bills moving forward at Texas Capitol

FOIFT2019-04-11T14:58:32-05:00

UPDATED April 11, 2019 Several proposals to strengthen Texas' open government laws are moving ahead in the Texas Legislature. The Texas Public Information Act contracting transparency bill by Sen. Kirk Watson won final passage in the state Senate on Wednesday, April 10. It closes loopholes created by Texas Supreme Court rulings and is another step toward Texas taxpayers regaining their right to know how their money is spent. Earlier this week, the Senate approved Watson's bill updating the Texas Open Meetings Act in response to a recent court ruling. These measures now move on to the Texas House. Posted April 6: [...]

Open government bills moving forward at Texas CapitolFOIFT2019-04-11T14:58:32-05:00

Texas Tribune Analysis: Some of the secrets of Texas government aren’t supposed to be secrets

FOIFT2019-03-25T18:09:18-05:00

By Ross RamseyThe Texas TribuneOriginally published March 25, 2019 The Texas Legislature, full of people who believe in open government and who also like to settle things quietly and outside of public view, is diving into open-government legislation. Read the full analysis here.

Texas Tribune Analysis: Some of the secrets of Texas government aren’t supposed to be secretsFOIFT2019-03-25T18:09:18-05:00

No right to know? Texas public records get harder and harder to acquire

FOIFT2019-03-19T21:29:21-05:00

By Jeremy BlackmanHouston ChronicleOriginally published March 14, 2019 In Texas, records that might have once been public are increasingly difficult to obtain, according to an analysis of 10 years worth of attorney general's decisions by ABC13 in collaboration with the Houston Chronicle. The review found that the number of appeals from state and local agencies to withhold information has nearly doubled in the past decade. The Houston Chronicle took an in-depth look at the roadblocks to public information in Texas in this story published during Sunshine Week. Read the full article here.

No right to know? Texas public records get harder and harder to acquireFOIFT2019-03-19T21:29:21-05:00

Sunshine Week: Free speech, public’s right to know under attack in Texas, so let’s act now

FOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:25-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Executive Director FOI Foundation of Texas We Texans are fiercely independent and like to make our views known. On that, surely, we can agree. Using our First Amendment right to speak out goes hand in hand with access to public information that helps us understand how our government functions. Unfortunately, both basic American principles – free speech and the people’s right to know – are under attack in Texas. There’s no better time to urge our state lawmakers to protect these precious freedoms than “Sunshine Week,” March 10-16, a nationwide celebration of open government. The Texas Sunshine Coalition, [...]

Sunshine Week: Free speech, public’s right to know under attack in Texas, so let’s act nowFOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:25-05:00

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