Transparency

Change in sheriff’s public information policy poses access problems

2014-07-22T14:31:11-05:00

By Karen Antonacci The Monitor Originally published July 20, 2014 When the story of an appeals court judge arrested July 12 after failing a sobriety test broke later that afternoon, local media ran with the only photo they had of her — a coiffed glamour shot that graced her 2012 campaign signs. Nora Lydia Longoria, who was elected in 2012 to the 13th Court of Appeals, where she serves a 20-county area with four other justices, looks much different in her mug shot —tired with bloodshot eyes. The picture was included in a news release the McAllen police department issued Monday [...]

Change in sheriff’s public information policy poses access problems2014-07-22T14:31:11-05:00

Abbott stands by transparency record some say is mixed

2014-07-21T15:51:22-05:00

By Terri Langford The Texas Tribune Originally published July 17, 2014 Ask Texas Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial hopeful Greg Abbott about his record on providing the public greater access to government records and he will tell you it is one worth bragging about. He has aggressively pursued open records training for state and elected officials, and been honored for his work keeping Texas government transparent. “There really is no attorney general who’s had a greater proven record of achieving more transparency and more openness than myself,” Abbott told The Texas Tribune in an interview last week. But open government advocates find the transparency record of [...]

Abbott stands by transparency record some say is mixed2014-07-21T15:51:22-05:00

Editorial: Texas AG off-base in decision not to release chemical locations

2014-07-08T13:53:05-05:00

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Originally published July 7, 2014 Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s comments about disclosure of where dangerous chemicals are stored in the state proved to be almost as explosive as a bin of ammonium nitrate. Abbott, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, has been criticized after his office ruled the Texas Department of State Health Services did not have to release the names and locations of the storage facilities, something the agency had routinely done in the past. That decision seemed particularly odd coming just a year after the horrific explosion of a fertilizer plant in West, when fire ignited a [...]

Editorial: Texas AG off-base in decision not to release chemical locations2014-07-08T13:53:05-05:00

Editorial: Abbott’s policy on public access to chemical information illogical

2014-07-07T14:47:31-05:00

Austin American-Statesman Originally published July 6, 2014 When it comes to defending Texans’ right to know what their government is doing, state Attorney General Greg Abbott has been not just a watchdog, but a biting dog. During his political career, Abbott has demonstrated a commitment to government transparency second to no other current statewide elected official. In 2005, he was awarded the James Madison Award by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. Abbott spoke these memorable words then: “Texas functions best when public officials recognize that government does not belong to them but to the people.” (To read the rest [...]

Editorial: Abbott’s policy on public access to chemical information illogical2014-07-07T14:47:31-05:00

Editorial: Kilgore College transparency threatened by records tactic

2014-07-02T20:56:28-05:00

By Longview News-Journal Originally published July 2, 2014 Kilgore College’s practice of sending every open records request to its attorney for review is almost breathtaking — and not in a good way. In an era that’s seen almost every taxpayer-funded entity in the nation looking for ways to reduce spending, this is a conscious — and utterly unnecessary — decision to spend more. The attorney who benefits from billing, at $195 per hour, to review the requests must know his services are not needed for this task. If he doesn’t, it may be time for the college to find another attorney. [...]

Editorial: Kilgore College transparency threatened by records tactic2014-07-02T20:56:28-05:00

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