PIA

Terrell Tribune: AG rules city violated Public Information Act

2014-11-19T16:29:19-06:00

By Gary Lindsley The Terrell Tribune Originally published Nov. 18, 2014 Governmental bodies throughout the country, day in and day out, violate their respective state’s open meetings and open records laws. The city of Terrell is no different, and for that matter, may not be any worse. But any way you look at it, when community members or media representatives ask governmental bodies for information, those governmental bodies may not simply choose to ignore the requests. But Terrell officials have done that very thing, not once, but twice this year. And Bob Winchester has taken them to task for it. The [...]

Terrell Tribune: AG rules city violated Public Information Act2014-11-19T16:29:19-06:00

Watler: Old-school investigative sports reporting still relevant after all these years

2014-11-18T15:16:01-06:00

By Paul Watler Jackson Walker L.L.P. As a young lawyer in 1985, a case came my way that combined several passions: college football, newspaper journalism and the First Amendment. I was the associate attorney assigned to help apply legal muscle in support of our client, The Dallas Morning News. The newspaper's mission was to use open records law to pursue allegations that Southern Methodist University was illicitly paying football players – the pay-for-play scandal documented decades later by the ESPN 30-for-30 film, Pony Excess. Two local Dallas metro daily newspapers and a network affiliate television station intensely competed to break the story, including [...]

Watler: Old-school investigative sports reporting still relevant after all these years2014-11-18T15:16:01-06:00

Beaumont Enterprise: City undermines public confidence in Leger shooting case

2014-11-17T15:27:39-06:00

By Enterprise Editorial Staff Beaumont Enterprise Originally published Nov. 16, 2014 As Beaumont residents watch the ongoing dispute between the city government and the Leger family, they aren't seeing a public commitment to openness, accountability or community policing. Instead they are seeing a City Council and police department that are giving them reason, once again, to lose confidence in the once-troubled BPD. In response to requests for information about their actions in the June 24 shooting of Stanley Leger, police have released only the minimum amount required by law, leaving growing questions about what they are hiding and why. Last month the city asked [...]

Beaumont Enterprise: City undermines public confidence in Leger shooting case2014-11-17T15:27:39-06:00

Senate Open Government Committee hears testimony on student records

2022-03-31T17:08:43-05:00

By Kelley Shannon FOI Foundation of Texas Executive Director AUSTIN _While federal law prevents a student's record from public release once the student is in college, laws are not as clear for those who applied to but did not attend the school, witnesses told the Senate Open Government Committee on Wednesday. "There is definitely a gap there," said Carol Longoria, assistant deputy to the president of the University of Texas at Austin. However, she said, the university has successfully argued to the Attorney General's Office that applicants' records should be kept private, too. Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, chairman of the Senate [...]

Senate Open Government Committee hears testimony on student records2022-03-31T17:08:43-05:00

On the road again: Open Government Seminar headed to Denton

2014-11-05T20:19:41-06:00

AUSTIN _ The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas is hosting an Open Government Seminar in Denton for residents throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area featuring training in the state’s public meetings and public records laws. The non-profit FOI Foundation, partnering with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s office, will offer the one-day seminar on Tuesday, Dec. 9, in Denton. It is designed for government employees, journalists and any citizens who want to learn more about the Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act. “Texas open government laws allow citizens to access information and participate in our democracy. These laws also [...]

On the road again: Open Government Seminar headed to Denton2014-11-05T20:19:41-06:00
Go to Top