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Dallas Morning News editorial: Paxton’s misinformed spokesman turns Public Information Act against Texans over petty grudge

2018-02-06T05:15:47-06:00

The Dallas Morning News Editorial Originally published Feb. 2, 2018 At a conference put on last month by the attorney general's office to help train local and state officials on how to comply with the Texas Public Information Act, one of the experts providing advice was Marc Rylander. Rylander works for Attorney General Ken Paxton and in comments caught on video he managed to embarrass himself and his boss. Worse still, he undermined a reputation lawyers in that office have built over many years for evenhanded enforcement of the state's open meetings and open records laws, no matter who happens to [...]

Dallas Morning News editorial: Paxton’s misinformed spokesman turns Public Information Act against Texans over petty grudge2018-02-06T05:15:47-06:00

Texas senators examine free speech on college campuses

2018-02-01T15:12:28-06:00

By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz Austin American-Statesman Originally published Jan. 31, 2018 SAN MARCOS —Incidents of hecklers shouting down controversial figures on college campuses are anathema to free speech but pose a difficult challenge to overcome, a state Senate panel chairwoman said Wednesday.“No one should be shouted down,” said Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, whose State Affairs Committee held a hearing on campus free speech issues hosted by Texas State University. “We need to put an end to that. But you can’t legislate morality or civility — I get that.” The panel has been charged by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick with recommending “policy [...]

Texas senators examine free speech on college campuses2018-02-01T15:12:28-06:00

Six current, ex-members of Pasadena economic development board indicted for private meetings

2018-01-25T14:48:26-06:00

By Brooke A. Lewis and Mark Collette Houston Chronicle Originally published Jan. 23, 2018, updated Jan. 24, 2018 Six current and former members of Pasadena's economic development board were indicted Tuesday by a grand jury for holding two private meetings in November 2016 with a contractor. Board members Ernesto Paredes and Emilio Carmona, former board President Roy Mease and ex-board members Brad Hance, Jackie Welch and Jim Harris were all indicted for violating the Texas Open Meetings Act, according to a news release from the Harris County District Attorney's Office. If convicted, the six could face one to six months in jail and [...]

Six current, ex-members of Pasadena economic development board indicted for private meetings2018-01-25T14:48:26-06:00

Alamo Trust to hold open meetings in wake of transparency concerns

2018-01-16T16:43:05-06:00

By Scott Huddleston San Antonio Express-News Originally published Jan. 15, 2018 A nonprofit board overseeing the Alamo’s day-to-day operations will open its meetings to the public this year. But one state senator says state officials and philanthropists in charge of the historic mission and battle site and a far-reaching plan to improve it should do more to provide a level of openness befitting the Texas shrine. “The public just has an inherent right to know how their tax dollars are being spent. And we’re now talking about the Alamo, which is a big deal,” said Sen. Kirk Watson, one of several [...]

Alamo Trust to hold open meetings in wake of transparency concerns2018-01-16T16:43:05-06:00

Attorney general: Austin city manager candidates not a competitive secret

2018-01-12T15:09:32-06:00

By Elizabeth Findell Austin American-Statesman Originally published Jan. 11, 2018 The city of Austin cannot withhold records showing who applied for its city manager position by claiming the information would harm the city competitively in a search for qualified applicants, the Texas attorney general’s office says. Nor is the information a trade secret, a matter that would harm the search firm competitively or “highly intimate and embarrassing,” Matthew Taylor, an assistant attorney general in the open records division, wrote in his opinion. The opinion says that the city and its executive search firm, Russell Reynolds, must turn over the bulk of the [...]

Attorney general: Austin city manager candidates not a competitive secret2018-01-12T15:09:32-06:00

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