Texas Legislature

Dallas Morning News: We urge Texas legislative leaders to get moving on protecting the public’s right to know

2017-10-04T14:33:06-05:00

Dallas Morning News Editorial Originally published Oct. 3, 2017 Imagine getting the devastating news that your son died in police custody. Then imagine not being able to find out exactly what happened to him for months because officials won't release information. That describes the case of Tony Timpa, who died August 2016, less than an hour after calling 911 from a parking lot of a Dallas porn store. Dallas Morning News investigative writer Cary Aspinwall reports we still don't have all the answers more than a year later because the Dallas Police Department, citing an ongoing investigation, has denied access to records. [...]

Dallas Morning News: We urge Texas legislative leaders to get moving on protecting the public’s right to know2017-10-04T14:33:06-05:00

Editorial: Government agencies are holding our records and trying to keep us from seeing them; that’s not right

2017-09-27T15:36:09-05:00

Editorial Dallas Morning News Originally published Sept. 21, 2017 Here's an alarming new threat to the public's right to know: More and more government agencies around the country are suing private citizens who request access to public information, in order to keep them from seeing the records. Outrageous. There's no better protection to our democracy than our ability to hold the people we elect to public office accountable for how they're spending our tax dollars and conducting our business. These are our records, after all, and these agencies are stomping on citizens' right to keep track of what government is doing. [...]

Editorial: Government agencies are holding our records and trying to keep us from seeing them; that’s not right2017-09-27T15:36:09-05:00

Clarification sought on release of police body camera videos in Texas

2017-09-20T20:44:46-05:00

By Chuck Lindell Austin American-Statesman Originally published Sept. 19, 2017 Trying to make sense of an emerging area of law, a state senator has asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to determine whether certain footage from police body cameras could be withheld — not just from the public, but from civilian supervisors of a law enforcement agency as well. Specifically, Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, wanted to know if state open record laws give a police chief or sheriff the discretion to withhold body camera footage if they determine that viewing the video could interfere with the “detection, investigation or prosecution [...]

Clarification sought on release of police body camera videos in Texas2017-09-20T20:44:46-05:00

New Texas court access system raises old information demons

2017-09-20T19:49:45-05:00

By Kelsey Jukam Courthouse News Service Originally published Sept. 15, 2017 AUSTIN - The checkerboard of public access in Texas courts was the focus of a conference on freedom of information earlier this week that included a bureau chief, a local clerk, a legislator and a state high court clerk. In the face of political headwinds from elected court clerks, who see a goldmine in the records, the Texas Supreme Court clerk is now moving to unify public access throughout the Texas courts. A key part of the campaign is the engagement by the high court’s Office of Court Administration of a Plano-based tech [...]

New Texas court access system raises old information demons2017-09-20T19:49:45-05:00

Sen. Watson, Rep. Capriglione receive FOI Lawmaker of the Year awards

2017-09-15T14:50:54-05:00

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has honored Sen. Kirk Watson of Austin and Rep. Giovanni Capriglione of Southlake with its Open Government Lawmaker of the Year Award. The award is presented periodically to legislators who ardently defend First Amendment principles and work to expand open government. Watson and Capriglione received the honor Thursday at the FOI Foundation of Texas state conference in Austin. Capriglione said the First Amendment is what all office holders are sworn to uphold and that he was accepting the ward not just for the work he has done but for "what we're about to do" [...]

Sen. Watson, Rep. Capriglione receive FOI Lawmaker of the Year awards2017-09-15T14:50:54-05:00

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