First Amendment

After complaint about art museum photos, Fort Worth police department refuses to release report

2025-01-31T09:36:26-06:00

By David Moreno Fort Worth Report Originally published Jan. 30, 2025 Weeks after Fort Worth police seized photographs featured in a Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth exhibit, the city has declined to release documents related to its investigation into child pornography allegations. Earlier this month, the Fort Worth Police Department confirmed they had launched an investigation into decades-old images by Virginia-born photographer Sally Mann that were featured as part of the “Diaries of Home” exhibition, which opened Nov. 17. The investigation followed a series of Dallas Express articles quoting County Judge Tim O’Hare, among other Republican leaders, calling for the [...]

After complaint about art museum photos, Fort Worth police department refuses to release report2025-01-31T09:36:26-06:00

City of Killeen violating state law on citizens’ comments, attorney says

2025-01-13T15:24:22-06:00

By Kevin Limiti Killeen Daily Herald Originally published Jan. 12, 2025 The city of Killeen may have been violating the Texas Open Meetings Act in regards to citizen comments ever since June when the structure of the Killeen City Council meetings were changed. The Killeen City Council meetings start at 3 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month, divided into work and regular sessions with citizen comments taking place in between. But prominent Austin lawyer Bill Aleshire says that this is an obvious violation of the law, and past council decisions could be subject to being declared void [...]

City of Killeen violating state law on citizens’ comments, attorney says2025-01-13T15:24:22-06:00

Support the FOI Foundation mission with a year-end donation

2024-12-30T11:26:51-06:00

It's that time of year - time to make a year-end donation to the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas to promote open government and protect the First Amendment rights of free speech and free press. The FOI Foundation works to educate the public about government transparency through regional training seminars for government employees and local citizens; speaking engagements with civic groups and college classes; a state conference; an FOI hotline; meetings with state officials; and columns, newsletters and videos throughout the year. While some national organizations that use open government laws to compile information are struggling, the FOI Foundation of [...]

Support the FOI Foundation mission with a year-end donation2024-12-30T11:26:51-06:00

U.S. Supreme Court orders new look at case of arrested Texas journalist

2024-10-28T09:48:02-05:00

By The Associated Press Originally published Oct. 15, 2024 WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a federal appeals court to take a new look at the lawsuit filed by a Texas-based online citizen journalist who said she was wrongly arrested in a case that drew attention from national media organizations and free speech advocates. The justices tossed out the ruling of a divided federal appeals court that found journalist Priscilla Villarreal, known online as La Gordiloca, could not sue police officers and other officials over her arrest for seeking and obtaining nonpublic information from police. Read the full story [...]

U.S. Supreme Court orders new look at case of arrested Texas journalist2024-10-28T09:48:02-05:00

Keep Texas information laws working as intended; learn more at Sept. 13 FOIFT conference

2024-09-08T15:18:26-05:00

Register today for the Sept. 13 FOIFT conference. FOI Column: Keep information laws working as intended to help all Texans By Kelley Shannon When it’s time to take a hard look at our public officials and decide which ones to re-elect – or reject – we need information. A major source of that information is the government itself. Access to public records and meetings is essential for us to know the facts and speak out about how government is run, during election season or any time. Among the tools at our disposal are the Texas Public Information Act, the Texas Open [...]

Keep Texas information laws working as intended; learn more at Sept. 13 FOIFT conference2024-09-08T15:18:26-05:00
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