Transparency

First of the Texas Sunshine Coalition bills gets hearing at Capitol

FOIFT2023-03-27T11:21:58-05:00

The Texas House State Affairs Committee has held a hearing on House Bill 2309 by Chairman Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi. The measure, part of the Texas Sunshine Coalition agenda, would ensure public access to dates of birth in criminal justice records and candidates' applications to run for public office. Laura Prather, co-chair of the FOIFT's legislative committee, testified in support of the bill on Wednesday, March 22. She noted that matching a birthdate when someone has a common name prevents mistaken identification and helps with accuracy in news reporting, background checks conducted by businesses and the vetting of candidates for public [...]

First of the Texas Sunshine Coalition bills gets hearing at CapitolFOIFT2023-03-27T11:21:58-05:00

Transparency legislation at the Texas Capitol a bipartisan effort

FOIFT2023-03-13T11:18:12-05:00

By Kelley Shannon To witness bipartisanship at the Texas Capitol, look to the lawmakers who are working to improve open government laws. Legislators from both political parties are igniting interest in transparency and creating the opportunity for all lawmakers to protect the people’s right to know. They’re carrying on our state’s legacy of openness. When the reform-minded 1973 Legislature enacted the Texas Public Information Act, known then as the Open Records Act, it established one of the nation’s strongest transparency laws. This year marks its 50th anniversary. Court rulings and other actions have weakened the law, but as we celebrate open [...]

Transparency legislation at the Texas Capitol a bipartisan effortFOIFT2023-03-13T11:18:12-05:00

Uvalde records lawsuit continues, no closer to a resolution or transparency

FOIFT2023-03-10T10:18:03-06:00

By Caroline Ghisolfi Austin American-Statesman Originally published March 10, 2023 Nine months after the massacre at Robb Elementary School that left 21 dead and 17 injured, the Uvalde district attorney and the Texas Department of Public Safety continue to fight the release of records, First Amendment attorney Laura Lee Prather told a district judge. “Calls for transparency and accountability have run loud and clear. They’ve reverberated in public settings throughout the state,” said Prather, lead counsel for a consortium of more than a dozen news organizations who have sued to obtain a trove of records to report on the law enforcement [...]

Uvalde records lawsuit continues, no closer to a resolution or transparencyFOIFT2023-03-10T10:18:03-06:00

A case study: Getting public records is getting harder in Texas

FOIFT2023-02-23T14:31:43-06:00

By Caroline Love KERA Originally published Feb. 15, 2023 Editor’s note: After reports that Collin County Constable Joe Wright’s name had appeared on a membership list for an antigovernment extremist group, KERA government accountability reporter Caroline Love wanted to find out more about him. She obtained records from the Collin County Sheriff’s Office — where Wright had once worked — only after a lengthy open records battle. We asked her to find out if her experiences are symptomatic of a bigger problem. Texas citizens and journalists often face drawn-out legal battles over open records requests. Advocates for transparency in government say [...]

A case study: Getting public records is getting harder in TexasFOIFT2023-02-23T14:31:43-06:00

Texas Public Information Act’s 50th anniversary an excellent time to strengthen the landmark law

FOIFT2023-02-01T09:19:32-06:00

By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas Fifty years ago, responding to public demand in an era of reform, Texas enacted a sweeping law ensuring the people’s right to know about their government. The Texas Public Information Act – originally known as the Open Records Act when it passed in 1973 – was one of the strongest transparency laws in the nation. It allowed Texans to hold their state and local governments accountable by obtaining all sorts of public records. “The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is [...]

Texas Public Information Act’s 50th anniversary an excellent time to strengthen the landmark lawFOIFT2023-02-01T09:19:32-06:00

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