Transparency

FOI Column: Even during a pandemic, government must be open with easy access

FOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:20-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Reopening public places amid the COVID-19 pandemic should certainly be carried out with caution. Government offices are no exception. Yet citizens must have the ability to watch over their government, even during an emergency. Especially during an emergency. It’s long past time to reopen public access to government records and meetings that have been shut off for months. This can happen even if government employees continue to work from home for safety reasons. The Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act – two major open government laws that help us learn about everything from local zoning [...]

FOI Column: Even during a pandemic, government must be open with easy accessFOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:20-05:00

Legal standards for release of police body camera video

FOIFT2022-06-30T15:53:27-05:00

Editors Note: The Texas body camera statute is contained in the Texas Occupations Code. Section 1701.661 governs public release of body cam footage.) -- By Paul Watler Cell phone videos captured in the street of police use of force involving citizens seem commonplace of late. The videos go viral on social media and dominate ensuing news cycles on television and in print media. But it is not commonplace for the public to see - or news organizations to obtain - official body camera video of the incidents. In fact, current law in most states permits law enforcement to routinely withhold officer body camera footage [...]

Legal standards for release of police body camera videoFOIFT2022-06-30T15:53:27-05:00

Judge rules in favor of Odessa American, denies city request to dismiss public information lawsuit

FOIFT2020-10-13T19:40:23-05:00

By the Odessa AmericanOriginally published Oct. 12, 2020 A visiting state district judge has denied the City of Odessa’s request to dismiss a lawsuit by the Odessa American to force the city to comply with public information laws. It took only a few days for Judge Rodney Satterwhite to review arguments and rule Monday that the OA’s lawsuit should be allowed to proceed. Attorneys for the city wanted Satterwhite to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing in a hearing Thursday that as a matter of jurisdiction, the judge did not have the power to adjudicate the legal matter. But attorneys representing the newspaper [...]

Judge rules in favor of Odessa American, denies city request to dismiss public information lawsuitFOIFT2020-10-13T19:40:23-05:00

Transparency panel addresses open government concerns amid COVID-19 pandemic

FOIFT2020-10-07T23:38:19-05:00

Requestors seeking government records using the Texas Public Information Act are running into roadblocks during the COVID-19 pandemic. A panel of journalists and open government experts addressed their concerns and questions during an online policy discussion Wednesday hosted by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini and co-hosted by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, the Texas Association of Broadcasters and the Texas Press Association. View a recording of online event on the senator's Facebook page. Several questions from audience members centered on government offices saying they are not filling Public Information Act requests because their offices are closed or are operating on [...]

Transparency panel addresses open government concerns amid COVID-19 pandemicFOIFT2020-10-07T23:38:19-05:00

Join Texas open government webinar Wednesday, Oct. 7

FOIFT2020-10-06T16:26:30-05:00

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and other open government advocates are joining Sen. Judith Zaffirini for a free online webinar she is hosting tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 1:30 p.m. Panelists include Sen. Zaffirini; Justin Gordon, chief of the attorney general's office open records division; investigative journalist Jaie Avila of WOAI-TV in San Antonio; and moderator Julie Fine of KXAS-TV in Fort Worth-Dallas. Register in advance at http://bit.ly/TXPressZoom.

Join Texas open government webinar Wednesday, Oct. 7FOIFT2020-10-06T16:26:30-05:00

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