Texas Legislature

Tom Hicks, Kay Bailey Hutchison among those who helped underqualified students get into UT-Austin, records show

FOIFT2015-07-20T23:16:17-05:00

By Bobby Blanchard and Christy Hoppe The Dallas Morning News Originally published July 20, 2015 AUSTIN – Dozens of highly influential Texans – including lawmakers, millionaire donors and university regents – helped under-qualified students get into the University of Texas at Austin, often by writing to UT officials, records show. Among those who wrote directly to then-President Bill Powers and then-Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, bypassing the admissions office, were famed golfer and UT grad Ben Crenshaw, former UT regent H. Scott Caven Jr., Austin lawyer Roy Minton and Sens. Kevin Eltife and Carlos Uresti, records obtained by The Dallas Morning News show. [...]

Tom Hicks, Kay Bailey Hutchison among those who helped underqualified students get into UT-Austin, records showFOIFT2015-07-20T23:16:17-05:00

New Texas laws protect public’s right to know

FOIFT2015-06-03T16:06:54-05:00

AUSTIN – Texans will gain access to private university police records and more easily observe public meetings because of action this legislative session, while journalists can continue robust reporting on allegations of wrongdoing. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas pressed for these and other transparency measures in the 84th Legislature, which concluded Monday. One highlight was passage of Senate Bill 627, allowing journalists to accurately report on wrongdoing accusations that are not yet part of a government inquiry. It codifies what has been common law in Texas for 25 years and clarifies a recent Texas Supreme Court ruling. This bill [...]

New Texas laws protect public’s right to knowFOIFT2015-06-03T16:06:54-05:00

Gov. Abbott signs legislation providing press freedom to report wrongdoing allegations

FOIFT2015-05-29T18:50:40-05:00

AUSTIN - Gov. Greg Abbott has signed Senate Bill 627, making it clear that journalists can report on allegations of wrongdoing and receive protections under state law. Abbott signed the bill late Thursday night. The legislation was authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and sponsored by Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi. The measure codifies a defense for accurately reporting on third-party allegations. That defense had been part of common law in Texas for 25 years, but a recent Texas Supreme Court ruling called it into question. Many times the news media is the first to uncover problems that are subsequently investigated [...]

Gov. Abbott signs legislation providing press freedom to report wrongdoing allegationsFOIFT2015-05-29T18:50:40-05:00

House expected to remove ban on media access to accident reports

FOIFT2015-05-26T16:35:12-05:00

AUSTIN - A Senate amendment to House Bill 2633 that would ban news media access to detailed traffic accident reports is expected to be stripped out of the bill in a conference committee. House sponsors of the legislation have said the bill by Rep. Ana Hernandez, D-Houston, is expected to return to its House version with removal of the Senate language that was added Sunday night by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. The bill seeks to limit public access to personal information in traffic accidents to crack down on barratry. A provision in the House version would allow newspapers and broadcast news [...]

House expected to remove ban on media access to accident reportsFOIFT2015-05-26T16:35:12-05:00

Open government advocates optimistic about Texas legislative session

FOIFT2015-05-21T17:18:47-05:00

By Eva-Marie Ayala The Dallas Morning News Originally published May 20, 2015 AUSTIN — Texans are likely to get greater access to campus police records and public meetings online. But after a group secretly taped lawmakers in Austin, some are wary of legislation that could make it harder to record audio without the consent of all recorded. A variety of bills still in play in the final days of the legislative session will affect government transparency, and so far, major legislative efforts are falling on the side of open government. “Until the last day of the session, it’s just too early [...]

Open government advocates optimistic about Texas legislative sessionFOIFT2015-05-21T17:18:47-05:00

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