PIA

Law closing police loophole in Public Information Act to take effect Sept. 1

2023-07-07T14:37:30-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas A loophole in the Texas Public Information Act that many law enforcement departments use to withhold records when someone dies in police custody will be closed with a new law taking effect Sept. 1. House Bill 30 by Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, passed both the Texas House and Senate and resulted in a compromise bill that won final approval in both chambers. Gov. Greg Abbott allowed it to become law without his signature as his veto period ended Sunday, June 18. No longer will police departments be able to [...]

Law closing police loophole in Public Information Act to take effect Sept. 12023-07-07T14:37:30-05:00

Texas Legislature approves open government bills in 2023 session’s final days

2023-07-07T14:11:12-05:00

For Immediate Release May 29, 2023 Texas Legislature approves open government bills in session’s final days  AUSTIN – Major transparency initiatives shoring up the Texas Public Information Act won approval in the state Legislature before the session’s final day Monday. The legislation now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott. A measure by Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, that won final passage Sunday night would close a legal loophole used by some police departments to withhold records when a person dies in police custody or in other interactions with law enforcement. House Bill 30, which had been debated in previous sessions, took on [...]

Texas Legislature approves open government bills in 2023 session’s final days2023-07-07T14:11:12-05:00

Transparency bill containing TPIA improvements moves ahead in Texas Legislature

2023-05-24T21:20:47-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Executive Director FOI Foundation of Texas The Texas Senate has passed a major transparency bill that would protect the rights of information requestors and help ensure the Texas Public Information Act is carried out consistently statewide. House Bill 3033 by Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, had already won passage in the Texas House. It was sponsored by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, in the Senate and won approval in that chamber Tuesday. It now returns to the House for a vote on concurrence with Senate amendments. A major provision in the bill was amended in the Texas House by Rep. Terry [...]

Transparency bill containing TPIA improvements moves ahead in Texas Legislature2023-05-24T21:20:47-05:00

Texas Senate committee approves bill closing the ‘dead suspect loophole’ in TPIA

2023-05-19T18:25:28-05:00

By Kelley Shannon FOI Foundation of Texas Legislation that would close a loophole in the Texas Public Information Act used by some police departments to withhold records when a person dies in custody won approval in a Senate committee Friday. House Bill 30 by Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, and sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, was set for a sudden hearing in the Senate Business and Commerce Committee and won passage Friday morning. It next moves to the full Texas Senate. The measure passed the Texas House earlier this month. King said the "heavily negotiated" bill was [...]

Texas Senate committee approves bill closing the ‘dead suspect loophole’ in TPIA2023-05-19T18:25:28-05:00

Police used loophole in Texas law to withhold records from deceased soldier’s family

2023-05-17T09:10:20-05:00

By Vianna Davila ProPublica, co-published with The Texas Tribune Originally published May 9, 2023 Texas public records law allows officials to withhold police records if no one was convicted in a case. At least one city has used this rule to deny the release of suicide records. A new bill aims to close this loophole. When Patty Troyan’s son Logan Castello died by suicide in November 2019 in his Central Texas home, she immediately tried to understand what prompted him to take his own life not long after getting married and days before a planned family Thanksgiving gathering. Castello was a [...]

Police used loophole in Texas law to withhold records from deceased soldier’s family2023-05-17T09:10:20-05:00
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