Texas Legislature

Texas Tribune Texplainer: What social media information is subject to state open records laws?

2017-08-28T16:04:23-05:00

By Alex Samuels The Texas Tribune Originally published Aug. 25, 2017 Hey, Texplainer: what social media information is subject to state open records laws? Is there anything off limits when it comes to what citizens can request to see? All social media is subject to state freedom of information laws, but whether you get the information you’ve requested depends on whether the communication is considered official business of a governmental body. According to Joe Larsen, counsel for Sedgwick Law in Houston, official business is any matter over which a governmental body has any authority. “It doesn’t really matter what medium it’s [...]

Texas Tribune Texplainer: What social media information is subject to state open records laws?2017-08-28T16:04:23-05:00

Texas governor, lieutenant governor won’t say whom they block from public Twitter accounts

2017-08-14T18:41:09-05:00

By Olivia Krauth Austin American-Statesman Originally published Aug. 13, 2017 In June, the American-Statesman sent public records requests to Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, among other Austin- and Texas-based politicians, asking for lists of whom they block from following their public, taxpayer-funded Twitter accounts. The governor, citing public safety concerns, said, no. His fear: Russian hackers. Lawyers for each office said they are asking Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to rule that the information is exempt from required public disclosure. Both argue that divulging the names of the blocked accounts constitute “a computer network vulnerability report.” Abbott and [...]

Texas governor, lieutenant governor won’t say whom they block from public Twitter accounts2017-08-14T18:41:09-05:00

Open government advocates now focusing on 2019

2017-07-20T14:48:36-05:00

By John C. Moritz USA Today Network Originally published July 19, 2017 AUSTIN – When a former employee of the world’s largest aerospace corporation began asking about the specific terms of the company’s lease agreement for its operations in San Antonio, it set in motion a chain of events that would gut Texas’ open government laws. And bills to restore teeth to the law that requires state and local governments to tell the public what they’re doing and why they’re doing it were blocked during the recent legislative session and likely won’t be revived until 2019. “This was a huge setback [...]

Open government advocates now focusing on 20192017-07-20T14:48:36-05:00

Sen. Kirk Watson to be keynote speaker at FOI Foundation conference Sept. 14

2017-07-25T23:14:59-05:00

Mark your calendars for Thursday, Sept. 14, when the FOI Foundation of Texas state conference "Transparency = Real News" takes place at the Hilton Austin. Texas Sen. Kirk Watson, an ardent advocate for open government, will be the luncheon keynote speaker. Other sessions at the daylong conference will focus on open government outcomes in the Texas Legislature; online access to court records; and use of public records for in-depth "real news" reporting in this era of "fake news." At the John Henry Faulk Awards luncheon we also honor an open government and First Amendment champion with the James Madison Award and [...]

Sen. Kirk Watson to be keynote speaker at FOI Foundation conference Sept. 142017-07-25T23:14:59-05:00

Editorial: Abbott’s pen cut transparency like a sword

2017-06-16T21:44:51-05:00

Corpus Christi Caller-Times Editorial Originally published June 16, 2017 With the simple act of signing his name, Gov. Greg Abbott completed a trifecta of failure by all branches of state government to defend the people's right to know. Abbott was proud of himself Thursday for vetoing 50 bills that he claimed were government overreach. One of those was House Bill 2783, regrettably the only government transparency measure to survive the 85th Legislature. HB 2783, one of the more modest of the sunshine bills introduced this session, would have allowed plaintiffs who sue a government entity for withholding public information to collect attorney fees [...]

Editorial: Abbott’s pen cut transparency like a sword2017-06-16T21:44:51-05:00

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