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Odessa American sues Odessa City Council

FOIFT2017-06-13T16:02:02-05:00

By Corey Paul Odessa American Originally published June 7, 2017 The Odessa American filed a lawsuit against the Odessa City Council on Wednesday, accusing the elected officials of violating the state law that requires most public business be conducted in public. The lawsuit alleges multiple violations related to a May 9 meeting when the City Council met for about 56 minutes behind closed doors before voting to oust the head of the board overseeing economic development sales tax money. The OA is seeking a court order to prevent future violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act by the City Council. Referencing [...]

Odessa American sues Odessa City CouncilFOIFT2017-06-13T16:02:02-05:00

Lake Austin group sues city over open meetings

FOIFT2017-06-13T15:58:31-05:00

By Jo Clifton Austin Monitor Originally published June 6, 2017 A group of Lake Austin homeowners on Monday sued the city of Austin, claiming that the city’s notice concerning the zoning and waiver of environmental regulations on what is known as the Champion tract, was inadequate and therefore violated the Texas Open Meetings Act. According to the lawsuit filed by the Lake Austin Collective Inc., when City Council approved new zoning for the tract on City Park Road on Nov. 10, the notice failed to mention that it would also be approving waivers of environmental regulations as well as the Hill [...]

Lake Austin group sues city over open meetingsFOIFT2017-06-13T15:58:31-05:00

Questions Raised About San Antonio Council’s Closed Door Decision

FOIFT2017-06-13T15:58:24-05:00

By Shelley D. Kofler Texas Public Radio Originally published June 2, 2017 Have City of San Antonio officials violated the Texas Open Meetings Act? That’s a question being raised after council members decided in a closed executive session to sue the state over its new sanctuary cities law, instead of voting on the decision in a public meeting. At least three city officials or their spokespersons say that last week during an executive session, city council members and staff met and discussed whether the San Antonio City Council should sue the state to stop the implementation of its new sanctuary cities [...]

Questions Raised About San Antonio Council’s Closed Door DecisionFOIFT2017-06-13T15:58:24-05:00

Numerous transparency bills get hearing at Texas Capitol

FOIFT2017-04-25T03:46:22-05:00

Major bills at the center of the FOI Foundation of Texas open government agenda had hearings Monday in the House Government Transparency and Operations Committee, including proposals to restore public access cut off by two Texas Supreme Court rulings. "We have the right to know how much was spent, and we have the right to look at those contracts," said Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, as he described House Bill 792, which he filed to address the court's Boeing ruling of 2015. That ruling has placed hundreds of government contracts with private businesses off limits to public requests and created a "jumbo [...]

Numerous transparency bills get hearing at Texas CapitolFOIFT2017-04-25T03:46:22-05:00

Texas Senate approves major Public Information Act bills

FOIFT2017-03-28T20:20:01-05:00

The Texas Senate passed two major bills Tuesday that would restore public access to government records showing how taxpayer money is spent. Senate Bill 407 and Senate Bill 408 are both authored by state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin. They won final Senate passage and now move on to the House of Representatives. Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, filed identical bills in the House in the bipartisan effort. Both bills would undo damaging court rulings that weakened the Texas open records law, long considered one of the strongest in the nation. SB 407 would restore access to many taxpayer-funded contracts that were placed [...]

Texas Senate approves major Public Information Act billsFOIFT2017-03-28T20:20:01-05:00

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