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Transparency legislation at the Texas Capitol a bipartisan effort

FOIFT2023-03-13T11:18:12-05:00

By Kelley Shannon To witness bipartisanship at the Texas Capitol, look to the lawmakers who are working to improve open government laws. Legislators from both political parties are igniting interest in transparency and creating the opportunity for all lawmakers to protect the people’s right to know. They’re carrying on our state’s legacy of openness. When the reform-minded 1973 Legislature enacted the Texas Public Information Act, known then as the Open Records Act, it established one of the nation’s strongest transparency laws. This year marks its 50th anniversary. Court rulings and other actions have weakened the law, but as we celebrate open [...]

Transparency legislation at the Texas Capitol a bipartisan effortFOIFT2023-03-13T11:18:12-05:00

Attorney general’s office orders University of Texas to release unredacted NIL service contract

FOIFT2023-01-17T09:13:30-06:00

By Asher Price Axios Originally published Jan. 12, 2023 More than a year after Axios asked the University of Texas for a contract with a firm that offers advice on handling the new frontier of student-athletes and sponsorship money, the state attorney general's office forced university officials to fork over an unredacted copy. Why it matters: University administrators officially took no stance on the full release of the contract, but they acknowledged they defer to business interests who want information kept under wraps and asked for an opinion from the attorney general — instead of simply releasing it to the public. [...]

Attorney general’s office orders University of Texas to release unredacted NIL service contractFOIFT2023-01-17T09:13:30-06:00

Waco judge vacates news media portion of gag order for retrial of ex-daycare owner

FOIFT2023-01-12T10:16:54-06:00

By Tommy Witherspoon KWTX Originally published Jan. 11, 2023 WACO, Texas - A Waco judge on Wednesday vacated a far-reaching gag order in the Marian Fraser murder case after KWTX attorneys convinced him that his attempt to restrict media coverage of her upcoming retrial is unconstitutional. Judge David Hodges, citing a “clear and present danger” that pretrial publicity surrounding the case could adversely affect the jury selection process, filed an order on Monday prohibiting media outlets from reporting any information related to testimony from the previous trial, the fact the case was reversed and the reason for the reversal. His order also [...]

Waco judge vacates news media portion of gag order for retrial of ex-daycare ownerFOIFT2023-01-12T10:16:54-06:00

Is ERCOT shielded from lawsuits? Legal debate reaches Texas Supreme Court, may have TPIA implications

FOIFT2023-01-10T15:39:43-06:00

By Bob Sechler Austin American-Statesman Originally published Jan. 9, 2023 A long-standing contention by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas that it is shielded from lawsuits because of governmental immunity came under legal attack Monday during arguments before the state Supreme Court in two cases with far-reaching implications for the entity that manages the power grid. If a determination is made that ERCOT lacks such immunity, "chaos" would ensue, said Wallace Jefferson, an attorney representing ERCOT in one of them. The Public Utility Commission of Texas "can't both have complete authority over everything that ERCOT does and 254 counties — state courts [...]

Is ERCOT shielded from lawsuits? Legal debate reaches Texas Supreme Court, may have TPIA implicationsFOIFT2023-01-10T15:39:43-06:00

Statesman: Texas lawmakers signed NDAs to quietly obtain Uvalde shooting case file

FOIFT2022-12-01T14:43:28-06:00

By Ryan Autullo and Tony Plohetski Austin American-Statesman Originally published Dec. 1, 2022 More than six months after a mass shooting in Uvalde, grieving families and the public are continuing a fierce fight for investigative records, including videos and officer statements, that would help reveal the full truth of the failed law enforcement response at Robb Elementary School. But as they press for answers from records that authorities insist remain confidential, six Texas lawmakers have quietly obtained investigatory information through written agreements with the Texas Department of Public Safety in which they vowed to keep the records secret, the American-Statesman has [...]

Statesman: Texas lawmakers signed NDAs to quietly obtain Uvalde shooting case fileFOIFT2022-12-01T14:43:28-06:00

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