Transparency

Watler: Texas should make police body cam video and citizen complaints public

2020-06-26T15:13:41-05:00

By Paul C. WatlerOriginally published June 24, 2020 in The Dallas Morning News Many Americans protesting the death of George Floyd have demanded greater official accountability in the deaths of black citizens during encounters with police. Police face enormous challenges in fulfilling their sworn duty to protect and to serve. We send them out in our name to prevent crime and keep us safe in our homes, schools and communities. To meet that responsibility, we vest police with extraordinary power, including in some cases the use of deadly force. In the vast majority of cases, officers use their special powers in [...]

Watler: Texas should make police body cam video and citizen complaints public2020-06-26T15:13:41-05:00

FOI Foundation state conference to be online event in 2020

2020-06-19T15:56:05-05:00

Because of continuing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, the FOI Foundation of Texas state conference originally scheduled for Austin on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, will not take place in person. Instead, we will host online open government events this fall focusing on timely transparency issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, police accountability and more. Stay tuned for further details. We look forward to returning to an in-person conference in September 2021 at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center in Austin. 

FOI Foundation state conference to be online event in 20202020-06-19T15:56:05-05:00

Transparency amid pandemic: Is government using COVID-19 to withhold public information?

2020-06-05T17:31:19-05:00

By John C. MoritzAustin Bureau, USA Today NetworkOriginally published June 4, 2020 AUSTIN — Two influential state lawmakers say some state and local governments are using the coronavirus pandemic to undermine Texas' open meetings and open records laws and they are already gearing up to close loopholes when the Legislative session convenes in January. "You're either for open government, or you're not," state Rep. Todd Hunter said during an online seminar on government transparency organized Thursday by the Texas Freedom of Information Foundation and the United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce. "If you're in the business of creating speed bumps (to stop or delay the release of [...]

Transparency amid pandemic: Is government using COVID-19 to withhold public information?2020-06-05T17:31:19-05:00

After Statesman inquiry, lawsuit aims to keep Texas Teacher Retirement System’s lease under wraps

2020-05-18T14:19:25-05:00

By Bob SechlerAustin American-StatesmanOriginally published May 15, 2020 The Teacher Retirement System of Texas describes itself as committed to public transparency and says it’s no longer trying to prevent disclosure of the full terms of its multimillion-dollar office lease in the luxury Indeed Tower high-rise under construction in downtown Austin. But that hasn’t stopped a development company in which the taxpayer-funded retirement system has a big financial stake from continuing the state agency’s nearly yearlong legal effort to conceal the information following multiple American-Statesman requests for it. The company — TC Austin Block 71 LLC — has filed a lawsuit against [...]

After Statesman inquiry, lawsuit aims to keep Texas Teacher Retirement System’s lease under wraps2020-05-18T14:19:25-05:00

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