FOI Foundation denounces arrest of TV news photographer covering protest at UT-Austin
April 25, 2024 Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas statement on arrest of FOX 7 TV journalist at UT-Austin protest: The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas strongly denounces the arrest of a FOX 7 news photographer who was covering a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas at Austin. Law enforcement officers arrested the journalist and charged him with criminal trespass along with more than 50 protestors on campus [...]
Goodby, scanner. Austin police, fire, EMS will no longer make radios available to the public
By Skye Seipp Austin American-Statesman Originally published April 18, 2024 Public safety agencies in Austin — police, fire and EMS — will soon go radio silent to the public once they transition to an encrypted radio system. This means that the current publicly available scanner information, wherein citizens can listen to police being dispatched to a call in real time, will no longer be accessible starting April 22. Read the [...]
KTRK: How open records law helps shine a light on government
By Keven Ozebek and Sarah Rafique KTRK, ABC 13 Originally published March 11, 2024 HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Whether it's investigating controversial decisions by local governments or digging into how those agencies spend taxpayer money, 13 Investigates relies on open records laws to get copies of internal documents, datasets and even emails and text messages between government officials all so we can hold our leaders accountable. ... Under the Texas [...]
Sunshine Week Column: Taking a stand against public information blackouts
By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas Shining light on our government through public information helps us ask questions of elected officials – and hold them accountable. Sunshine Week, taking place March 10-16, recognizes the importance of open government and educates Americans about their right to public information. It’s not an abstract notion. It’s about what’s happening in the real world. You may be checking on [...]
Student journalists at St. Edward’s barred from reporting on student government meeting about Pride flag
By Lily Kepner Austin American-Statesman Originally published Feb. 27, 2024 An LGBTQ+ pride flag had hung from the ceiling of a buzzing coffeehouse on St. Edward's University's campus in South Austin since 2018. This year, after remodeling and a vendor change at the cafe, the flag was taken down, and students' attempts to bring it back have not succeeded. ... At the Student Government Association's Senate meeting Wednesday, during which [...]
Every American has the right to ask questions. Including La Gordiloca.
By Arif Panju Guest Column Houston Chronicle Originally published Feb. 2, 2024 The First Amendment protects the right to criticize public officials without fear of imprisonment. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press would be meaningless if people could express only opinions favored by the authorities. This is what citizen journalist Priscilla Villarreal thought. But on Jan. 23, 2024, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals split 9-7 against [...]
TPIA rulings database required by recently enacted law now available on AG website
A newly enacted state law requires the Texas Attorney General's Office to make available to the public a searchable database of attorney general rulings issued under the Texas Public Information Act. The database, called for in House Bill 3033, is now available on the agency's website. The law said the database was to be accessible to the public no later than Jan. 1, 2024. The link to the Public Information [...]
Judge orders Texas DPS to release Uvalde school shooting records
By Tony Plohestski Austin American-Statesman Originally published Nov. 30, 2023 A Travis County judge has issued a formal order to the Texas Department of Public Safety for the agency to release a trove of investigative information and evidence from the 2022 Uvalde school shooting. The Nov. 28 order by state District Judge Daniella Deseta Lyttle closely follows her statements earlier this year that she intended to order the release of [...]
Appeals court questions Texas’ new school library book rating law
By Alejandro Serrano The Texas Tribune Originally published Nov. 29, 2023 Federal appellate judges Wednesday questioned a new Texas law requiring book sellers to rate the explicitness and relevance of sexual references in materials they sell to schools, though it was not clear if the court would allow the regulations to stand. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges’ inquiries centered on House Bill 900’s definitions of sexual content [...]
Some Uvalde families call for DPS sanctions over Washington Post photo release
By Sofi Zeman Uvalde Leader-News Originally published Nov. 16, 2023 Family members of victims killed and wounded in the May 24, 2022, shooting at Robb Elementary filed sanctions against the Texas Department of Public Safety for selectively sharing crime scene images with the Washington Post. “The same DPS that stands before this court and argues that this information must be withheld from these families has now released some of this [...]
Odessa American public records lawsuit against the city has ended
By Odessa American Originally published Oct. 20, 2023 The Odessa American’s almost four-year battle with the City of Odessa over public records access is over, as the Texas Supreme Court on Friday declined to take up the OA’s appeal of an appellate court decision in March to dismiss the lawsuit. AIM Media Texas LLC attorney John Bussian said the Odessa American “went the distance" — in its case that is [...]
FOI Foundation’s 2023 conference videos now available online
Video recordings from the 2023 Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas annual state conference, held in Austin on Sept. 28, are now available online via the foundation's YouTube channel or the FOIFT website. The recordings are free for everyone to view. Here's the link to the FOIFT website page containing the links to the videos: https://foift.org/about/video/
Austin American-Statesman, KVUE and KRIS win 2023 Spirit of FOI Awards
For Immediate Release Sept. 28, 2023 Austin American-Statesman, KVUE and KRIS win 2023 Spirit of FOI Awards AUSTIN – Texas news organizations that exposed the truth about law enforcement’s response to the Uvalde school shooting and revealed a district attorney’s high rate of case dismissals have won this year’s Spirit of FOI Awards. The Austin American-Statesman, KVUE-TV of Austin and KRIS-TV of Corpus Christi received the awards at the Freedom [...]
Seize the Moment: At 50-year mark, celebrate and strengthen the Public Information Act
By Kelley Shannon With trust in government waning, a Texas law can help keep a closer watch on public officials. Even citizens who continue to have faith in government can use this law to stay better informed. How is taxpayer money spent? What’s happening behind the scenes as government decisions are made? The Texas Public Information Act produces answers to these crucial questions. The act has been here for us [...]
Courthouse News Service editor Bill Girdner to receive James Madison Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 8, 2023 Courthouse News Service editor Bill Girdner to receive James Madison Award AUSTIN – Bill Girdner, the editor of Courthouse News Service who has worked to require timely news media access to court filings in Texas and across the nation, will receive the prestigious James Madison Award. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas bestows the award on those who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the [...]
Federal judge temporarily blocks new Texas book-rating law
By Edward McKinley San Antonio Express-News Originally published Aug. 31, 2023 A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked a new Texas law that would establish a book-rating system and ban or restrict books with sexual content from Texas public schools. Austin-based Judge Alan D. Albright told lawyers that the state could not enforce the law when it was planned to take effect Friday, according to a spokesperson for plaintiffs in an ongoing lawsuit. [...]
Audit details backlog of public records requests at Austin Police Department
By Skye Seipp Austin American-Statesman Originally published Aug. 24, 2023 If you file an open records request with the Austin Police Department, you might have to wait significantly longer to receive that information than if you sought records from another city department. An audit found the Police Department has a backlog of nearly 20,000 public information requests, largely because its staff to handle these requests is 20 times smaller than [...]
Judge says DPS must release documents related to Uvalde shooting response
By William Melhado The Texas Tribune Originally published June 29, 2023 A state district judge on Thursday ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to begin the process of releasing public records related to law enforcement’s response to the Uvalde school shooting, granting a request by The Texas Tribune and other news organizations. Over a dozen news organizations sued DPS last year, accusing it of unlawfully withholding the records related [...]
Former Angelina County judge found guilty of violating Open Meetings Act
By KTRE Digital Media Staff Originally published June 28, 2023 LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - A former Angelina County judge has been found guilty of violating the open meetings act following his trial. Don Lymbery, the former Angelina County judge, was indicted in March 2022 along with two other county authorities in connection with violating the open meeting act. The charge stems from an Aug. 9, 2021, meeting of the three [...]
Law closing police loophole in Public Information Act to take effect Sept. 1
By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas A loophole in the Texas Public Information Act that many law enforcement departments use to withhold records when someone dies in police custody will be closed with a new law taking effect Sept. 1. House Bill 30 by Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, passed both the Texas House and Senate and resulted in a compromise bill that won final [...]