Events

FOIFT remembers dedicated service of former president Ralph Langer

FOIFT2021-11-18T15:54:26-06:00

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas is forever grateful for the dedicated service of former organization president Ralph Langer, who passed away in August at age 84. FOIFT honored Langer at our Sept. 24, 2021, state conference with the following remembrance delivered by current board president Arif Panju: In Memoriam, Ralph Langer Ralph Langer was the former long-time president of the Freedom of Information Foundation and the guiding light behind transforming the Foundation into the leading voice in Texas on open government and the First Amendment. Ralph died August 5 at his home in Rockwall after an illness. He was [...]

FOIFT remembers dedicated service of former president Ralph LangerFOIFT2021-11-18T15:54:26-06:00

Speaker Pro Tem Joe Moody, expert panel address Texas law enforcement transparency in webinar

FOIFT2022-04-07T16:02:25-05:00

Texas House Speaker Pro Tem Joe Moody, Josh Hinkle of KXAN-TV, Eva Ruth Moravec of the Texas Justice Initiative and Kathy Mitchell of Just Liberty discussed the latest in police transparency laws during a one-hour webinar on Feb. 24. Hinkle, leader of KXAN's investigative team, moderated the panel discussion, which was free and open to the public. The FOI Foundation of Texas and ACLU of Texas co-hosted the event. Watch a recording of the event at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwgzGAixbz0&feature=youtu.be and see KXAN's coverage of news made during the webinar by clicking this link.

Speaker Pro Tem Joe Moody, expert panel address Texas law enforcement transparency in webinarFOIFT2022-04-07T16:02:25-05:00

Journalist Karen Blumenthal receives James Madison Award for open records activism

FOIFT2020-11-10T20:26:22-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nov. 10, 2020 AUSTIN – The late journalist and author Karen Blumenthal, an ardent advocate for the people’s right to know who ensured public access to historic Texas records in the Roe v. Wade case, has been honored with the James Madison Award. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas bestows the award on those who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the principles of the First Amendment and open government. Blumenthal spent more than two decades with The Wall Street Journal, including eight years as its Dallas bureau chief, and wrote non-fiction books for young people in the final [...]

Journalist Karen Blumenthal receives James Madison Award for open records activismFOIFT2020-11-10T20:26:22-06:00

The Highlander and The Dallas Morning News win 2020 Spirit of FOI Awards

FOIFT2020-10-29T23:10:39-05:00

October 28, 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUSTIN – Two Texas news organizations have won Spirit of FOI Awards for reporting on a city’s potential free speech and open meetings violations and for waging a legal battle to obtain public records in a fatal police encounter. The Nancy Monson Spirit of FOI Award, presented by the non-profit Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, highlights journalism that upholds the First Amendment rights of free speech and free press and promotes or uses open government laws such as the Texas Public Information Act. The winners – The Highlander of Marble Falls and The Dallas Morning [...]

The Highlander and The Dallas Morning News win 2020 Spirit of FOI AwardsFOIFT2020-10-29T23:10:39-05:00

FOI Column: Even during a pandemic, government must be open with easy access

FOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:20-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Reopening public places amid the COVID-19 pandemic should certainly be carried out with caution. Government offices are no exception. Yet citizens must have the ability to watch over their government, even during an emergency. Especially during an emergency. It’s long past time to reopen public access to government records and meetings that have been shut off for months. This can happen even if government employees continue to work from home for safety reasons. The Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act – two major open government laws that help us learn about everything from local zoning [...]

FOI Column: Even during a pandemic, government must be open with easy accessFOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:20-05:00

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