Texas Legislature

Texas House members have chance to save open government

FOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:35-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas Keeping our Texas Public Information Act operating effectively takes effort. That’s why open government advocates have worked with public officials and businesses over the past year to fine tune the landmark state law. Transparency legislation resulting from these work sessions emerged out of frank discussions – and with an understanding that some compromise is necessary. Now, state lawmakers have the opportunity to pass multiple negotiated open government measures to improve the Public Information Act and restore its strength, for the benefit of all Texans. The Texas Senate took a stand Thursday by [...]

Texas House members have chance to save open governmentFOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:35-05:00

Texas Senate approves open government measures, sends them to House

FOIFT2017-05-12T04:08:22-05:00

After several major open government measures stalled in the House Government Transparency and Operation Committee a few days ago, the Texas Senate breathed new life into the legislation Thursday by adding the bills onto a Texas Public Information Act proposal. Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, amended House Bill 2328 by Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-Brownsville, on the Senate floor. Included in the amendments were issues contained in legislation by Watson, Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, and Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake. The bottomline: Bills that address the troubling Boeing ruling and Greater Houston Partnership ruling by the Texas Supreme Court are now revived, [...]

Texas Senate approves open government measures, sends them to HouseFOIFT2017-05-12T04:08:22-05:00

San Antonio Express-News: Lawmakers should let in sunshine

FOIFT2017-05-08T14:49:47-05:00

San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board Originally published May 7, 2017 Make no mistake: If state lawmakers leave a number of open government bills hanging this session, the public will be left in the dark. A number of promising bills to make government more accountable and open to the public have been filed, but they were all, as of this writing, pending in committee. The legislation addresses any number of tricks public officials use to either keep the public in the dark or muddy the official record. Open government benefits everyone except bad actors, and these bills are worthy of bipartisan support. [...]

San Antonio Express-News: Lawmakers should let in sunshineFOIFT2017-05-08T14:49:47-05:00

Guest column: Tell legislators openness needed in government

FOIFT2017-04-29T04:49:18-05:00

By Donnis Baggett Published in the Houston Chronicle Originally published April 28, 2017 There's no question Texans are suspicious of government. That's why virtually everyone who ran for the Legislature last year sang the patriotic song of transparency. Unfortunately, campaign season is now a distant memory. Lawmakers have spent four months in the company of lobbyists who are good at convincing legislators that the interests of their clients are more important than open government. A tabernacle-sized choir singing the chorus of transparency has dwindled to a small combo that could rehearse in a two-car garage. It's time for the others who [...]

Guest column: Tell legislators openness needed in governmentFOIFT2017-04-29T04:49:18-05:00

Police withheld records of their son’s death; now they know why

FOIFT2017-04-21T17:14:41-05:00

By Eric Dexheimer Austin American-Statesman Originally published April 20, 2017 Kathy and Robert Dyer received the phone call out of every parent’s nightmares at 3 a.m. on Aug. 14, 2013. A Mesquite police officer was telling them their 18-year-old son, Graham, was in the hospital with a serious head injury. They should come as quickly as possible. They sped in the dark south to Dallas from their home on a dirt road outside of Paris, in Northeast Texas, arriving at Baylor University Medical Center at dawn. Graham lay unresponsive in the intensive care unit beneath a bristle of medical tubes and [...]

Police withheld records of their son’s death; now they know whyFOIFT2017-04-21T17:14:41-05:00

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