PIA

Perry prosecutors fight to keep invoices secret

FOIFT2015-04-06T15:38:34-05:00

By Terri Langford The Texas Tribune Originally published April 3, 2015 A Houston lawyer, for reasons unknown, is trying to get the detailed billing records submitted by special prosecutors pursuing felony charges against former Gov. Rick Perry, opening another front in the tangled legal saga. While the likely presidential candidate waits to hear if an appeals court will throw out the charges against him, special prosecutors Mike McCrum and David Gonzalez are now suing state Attorney General Ken Paxton on the side. They are fighting an open records ruling that might force them to disclose details of their investigation, including whom [...]

Perry prosecutors fight to keep invoices secretFOIFT2015-04-06T15:38:34-05:00

Tyler Morning Telegraph: Tax deals should be open records

FOIFT2015-03-26T15:07:44-05:00

Editorial Tyler Morning Telegraph Originally published March 25, 2015 One of the best ideas to come out of this year’s Sunshine Week — a week dedicated to open and accountable government — is a bipartisan movement in Austin to change the way governing bodies such as cities and counties do economic development. An “Economic Development Transparency Coalition” has formed, calling on the Legislature to change the Open Meetings Act and the Public Information Act to make economic development matters — like tax incentives and abatements — open to the public. The Coalition includes conservative groups, such as the Texas Public Policy [...]

Tyler Morning Telegraph: Tax deals should be open recordsFOIFT2015-03-26T15:07:44-05:00

Dallas Morning News Opinion Blog: Bill to make birth dates confidential is dead

FOIFT2015-03-25T19:59:52-05:00

By Rodger Jones Dallas Morning News Originally published March 25, 2015 Just got off the phone with the office of Rep. Cindy Burkett to fact-check her bill (HB 2766) that would have amended the Texas Open Records Act to keep birth dates confidential. Here’s an unexpected fact I learned: Burkett will not ask for a hearing on this legislation, according to her chief of staff, Allison Billodeau. That means the bill is dead. That’s good for the public’s right to know. (It’s a semi-bummer for me, since I had an editorial written and ready to go on this proposal.) This is [...]

Dallas Morning News Opinion Blog: Bill to make birth dates confidential is deadFOIFT2015-03-25T19:59:52-05:00

Senators hear testimony on police body cameras

FOIFT2015-03-24T21:31:50-05:00

AUSTIN _ Legislation that would supply and train Texas police officers with body cameras remains "a work in progress" but it's important to start debating the issue, Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, told a state Senate committee Tuesday. Confrontations involving police and citizens across the nation point to the potential usefulness of police body cameras, West said, adding the time "is ripe for public consideration." The Senate Criminal Justice Committee heard testimony on his Senate Bill 158, which West said sets out guidelines for local police agencies to use in setting body camera policies. He noted that a committee substitute and upcoming [...]

Senators hear testimony on police body camerasFOIFT2015-03-24T21:31:50-05:00

Senate panel votes to classify private university police records as public

FOIFT2015-03-17T20:40:09-05:00

Following violent incidents involving private university police officers, the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday approved legislation that would classify those campus police records as public information. The committee voted 5-0 in favor of sending Senate Bill 308 by Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, to the full Senate. Robert Arnold, a reporter for KPRC-TV in Houston who reported on a videotaped beating of a man by Rice University police, testified on the bill. The 2013 beating was captured on a dash camera that Rice police refused to fully release to the public. The proposed legislation would make such records obtainable under the [...]

Senate panel votes to classify private university police records as publicFOIFT2015-03-17T20:40:09-05:00

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