foiftexas

About FOIFT

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far FOIFT has created 764 blog entries.

Texas AG rules city of Killeen must provide information

2016-02-18T15:48:55-06:00

By Holden Wilen Killeen Daily Herald Originally published Feb. 17, 2016 The Texas Attorney General ruled the city of Killeen needs to release documents it had been withholding from the public related to a $247,000 contract for security upgrades at the Killeen Municipal Court. City spokeswoman Hilary Shine said Wednesday the city will comply with the Attorney General’s ruling. “The Attorney General agreed that the City could withhold critical information under the Texas Homeland Security Act, and we will comply with the release of the redacted documents,” Shine said. The Herald had asked for the city’s contract for the upgrades, which [...]

Texas AG rules city of Killeen must provide information2016-02-18T15:48:55-06:00

Texas AG’s office lets Baylor keep sexual assault investigations secret

2016-02-17T20:35:40-06:00

By Bobby Blanchard The Dallas Morning News Originally published Feb. 12, 2016 AUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office issued an opinion earlier this week allowing Baylor University to keep investigations into recent sexual assaults at Baylor University secret. Because the victims have came forward and identified themselves to ESPN, an assistant to the attorney general wrote in an opinion that releasing the information would violate common law privacy. Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, said he disagreed with the opinion. “I totally disagree,” said Coleman, who helped pass the bill that made police departments at private Texas universities respond to open [...]

Texas AG’s office lets Baylor keep sexual assault investigations secret2016-02-17T20:35:40-06:00

Activist sues Austin over housing deal, claims Open Meetings Act violation

2016-02-11T15:15:02-06:00

By Andra Lim Austin American-Statesman Originally published Feb. 10, 2016 A judge should void an affordable housing deal, in which several Austin City Council members said they unknowingly waived up to $106.3 million in city fees, because the lack of public notice violated the Texas Open Meetings Act, said a lawsuit filed Wednesday by civic activist Brian Rodgers. Rodgers started asking questions last month about the deal, which was approved in December and negotiated by the offices of Mayor Steve Adler and Council Member Delia Garza. The deal requires the developer of Easton Park near Southeast Austin to place an amount [...]

Activist sues Austin over housing deal, claims Open Meetings Act violation2016-02-11T15:15:02-06:00

Editorial: Investigation can determine whether mobility authority broke open meetings law

2016-02-08T18:59:08-06:00

By Editorial Board Austin American-Statesman Originally published Feb. 6, 2016 The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority again has come under fire regarding concerns about whether it is doing the public’s business in secret. At this point, there are few options in getting answers from CTRMA officials, whose statements to Travis County commissioners last week triggered questions about whether they are violating the Texas Open Meetings Act. The CTRMA is an independent governing agency with no direct accountability to the public. For those reasons, as well as the agency’s history of shielding information from the public, we support Travis County Commissioner Brigid [...]

Editorial: Investigation can determine whether mobility authority broke open meetings law2016-02-08T18:59:08-06:00

Concerns raised about accessibility of police body cam footage

2016-02-08T14:34:53-06:00

By St. John-Barned Smith Houston Chronicle Originally published Feb. 7, 2016 Months after statewide body camera legislation took effect and the Houston Police Department outlined its policies regarding the devices, local criminal justice watchdogs worry that some video from high-profile incidents may never see the light of day. At issue, they say, are provisions in the law that could stymie requests for camera footage, privacy protections, and local departmental reluctance to release information. When the Legislature passed SB 158 last year - easily in the House and with some opposition in the Senate - it was touted as a way to [...]

Concerns raised about accessibility of police body cam footage2016-02-08T14:34:53-06:00
Go to Top