PIA

City commission: State law on body cameras raises privacy questions

FOIFT2015-11-04T14:26:57-06:00

By Nicole Chavez Austin American-Statesman Originally published Nov. 3, 2015 As the Austin Police Department continues to prepare the launch of its body-worn camera program, the city’s Public Safety Commission is worried state law may not provide enough guidance on how to protect victims’ privacy. The law, which was discussed during the commission’s meeting Monday, includes several rules addressing the release of any recordings to the public: It says that footage recorded in a private space, such a home or a business, should only be made public with the consent of those who showed in the video. It also requires anyone [...]

City commission: State law on body cameras raises privacy questionsFOIFT2015-11-04T14:26:57-06:00

Activist, city of Austin settle open records lawsuit

FOIFT2015-11-03T17:51:02-06:00

By Andra Lim Austin American-Statesman Originally published Nov. 2, 2015 Civic activist Brian Rodgers will receive $5,000 from the city as part of an agreement to settle the lawsuit he filed in June accusing Austin of violating state open records law. The lawsuit said the city failed to respond fully, or even at all, to records requests Rodgers filed on three controversial topics: the Downtown Austin Alliance’s support for last November’s light rail ballot measure; the Decker Lake Golf proposal to build luxury golf courses on parkland by Lake Walter E. Long; and the city’s attempt to purchase the state-owned and [...]

Activist, city of Austin settle open records lawsuitFOIFT2015-11-03T17:51:02-06:00

AG says DA’s office violated Public Information Act on Twin Peaks request

FOIFT2015-10-26T15:20:52-05:00

By Tommy Witherspoon Waco Tribune-Herald Originally published Oct. 24, 2015 The Texas Attorney General’s Office notified McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna this month that his office violated the Texas Public Information Act when it failed to provide text messages related to the DA’s response to the May 17 Twin Peaks shootout. A former sheriff’s deputy says Reyna’s office has violated the act at least three times on requests he has filed. In a letter dated Oct. 13, Assistant Attorney General Lance Kutnick informs Reyna that his office violated the act and that he has four days to “cure” the violation. [...]

AG says DA’s office violated Public Information Act on Twin Peaks requestFOIFT2015-10-26T15:20:52-05:00

DA sues Texas to fight release of controversial contract

FOIFT2015-10-13T22:34:30-05:00

By Tony Plohetski Austin American-Statesman and Jay Root The Texas Tribune Originally published Oct. 13, 2015 Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg is suing to block the release of records about a controversial agreement that allows a giant insurance company to pay her office more than $400,000 a year to investigate the insurer’s fraud cases. The American-Statesman and the Texas Tribune requested the records under the Texas Public Information Act as part of a months-long investigation of the government prosecutors’ unusual and chummy relationship with Texas Mutual Insurance Co. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said last month that Travis County must [...]

DA sues Texas to fight release of controversial contractFOIFT2015-10-13T22:34:30-05:00

Open records squabble blooms over Austin Music Census data

FOIFT2015-10-06T17:33:01-05:00

By Lilly Rockwell Austin American-Statesman Originally published Oct. 5, 2015 For Texas State University professor Cindy Royal, the Austin Music Census data was like Christmas came early. A city-hired consultant had collected surveys from nearly 4,000 people in Austin’s music industry, with data ranging from musicians’ revenue sources to answers on broader questions about the challenges facing the local music scene. Royal, who teaches a class in the journalism program at Texas State on computer coding and data skills, wanted to use the survey data in her class. So she filed an open records request in August with the city of [...]

Open records squabble blooms over Austin Music Census dataFOIFT2015-10-06T17:33:01-05:00

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