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House expected to remove ban on media access to accident reports

2015-05-26T16:35:12-05:00

AUSTIN - A Senate amendment to House Bill 2633 that would ban news media access to detailed traffic accident reports is expected to be stripped out of the bill in a conference committee. House sponsors of the legislation have said the bill by Rep. Ana Hernandez, D-Houston, is expected to return to its House version with removal of the Senate language that was added Sunday night by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. The bill seeks to limit public access to personal information in traffic accidents to crack down on barratry. A provision in the House version would allow newspapers and broadcast news [...]

House expected to remove ban on media access to accident reports2015-05-26T16:35:12-05:00

Open government advocates optimistic about Texas legislative session

2015-05-21T17:18:47-05:00

By Eva-Marie Ayala The Dallas Morning News Originally published May 20, 2015 AUSTIN — Texans are likely to get greater access to campus police records and public meetings online. But after a group secretly taped lawmakers in Austin, some are wary of legislation that could make it harder to record audio without the consent of all recorded. A variety of bills still in play in the final days of the legislative session will affect government transparency, and so far, major legislative efforts are falling on the side of open government. “Until the last day of the session, it’s just too early [...]

Open government advocates optimistic about Texas legislative session2015-05-21T17:18:47-05:00

Lawmakers pass bill making college police records public

2015-05-19T18:38:59-05:00

AUSTIN - The Texas House today passed legislation making private university police records subject to the Texas Public Information Act. Senate Bill 308 by Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, had already passed the Senate and was sponsored in the House by Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston. The open government bill passed on the House Local and Consent Calendar. It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott.  

Lawmakers pass bill making college police records public2015-05-19T18:38:59-05:00

Legislature approves bill giving journalists ability to report wrongdoing allegations

2015-05-15T19:47:27-05:00

AUSTIN - The Texas House today approved legislation that allows journalists to continue accurately reporting on allegations of wrongdoing in matters of public importance. The legislation by Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, and Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, clarifies a recent Texas Supreme Court decision. The measure provides protection under libel law for reporting on third party allegations that shine light on matters such as contracting malfeasance, youth commission abuse and mistreatment of special education students. The bill already won Senate approval. It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, Texas Press Association, [...]

Legislature approves bill giving journalists ability to report wrongdoing allegations2015-05-15T19:47:27-05:00

AG Ken Paxton sides with UT regent Wallace Hall on access to records

2015-05-12T21:57:04-05:00

By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz Austin American-Statesman Originally published May 12, 2015 Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion Tuesday siding with a University of Texas System regent seeking access to records from an investigation into admissions at the Austin campus. The UT System cannot bar a regent’s access to records unless a state or federal law requires otherwise, Paxton said. Even the federal student privacy law does not allow a university to withhold student records deemed necessary for evaluating a state-supported education program, he said. Regent Wallace L. Hall Jr. sought the opinion after the system’s chancellor, Bill McRaven, refused to [...]

AG Ken Paxton sides with UT regent Wallace Hall on access to records2015-05-12T21:57:04-05:00

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