Montgomery County officials indicted on Open Meetings Act charges
By Jesse Mendoza Community Impact Newspaper Originally published June 25, 2016 Three members of the Montgomery County Commissioners Court were indicted on Texas Open Meetings Act violation charges related to negotiations regarding the county’s road bond election in November. County Judge Craig Doyal, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark were indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury June 25 and have since been released on [...]
Federal anti-SLAPP law focus of U.S. House hearing
By Luis Ferre Sadurni Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Originally published June 23, 2016 On Wednesday, the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice of the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on an anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) bill, which would combat lawsuits filed to intimidate exercise of free speech. Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) introduced H.R. 2304, the SPEAK FREE Act, last summer and the bill [...]
Smith County judge charged, booked in suspected Open Meetings Act violation
By Faith Harper and Roy Maynard Tyler Morning Telegraph Originally published June 18, 2016 County Judge Joel Baker was booked into the Smith County jail on Friday on a misdemeanor charge of violating the Texas Open Meetings Act. Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said Baker turned himself in after 5 p.m. and was released as of 6 p.m. Friday. Baker is charged with three counts of violating the Texas Open [...]
Cornyn-Leahy updated FOIA bill expected to become law
By Todd J. Gillman The Dallas Morning News Originally published June 14, 2016 WASHINGTON – The Freedom of Information Act turns 50 years old next month, and just in time to celebrate, Congress has sent the president an update co-authored by Texas Sen. John Cornyn. “A healthy democracy requires an open and transparent government, and this bill will help ensure all Americans have better access to their government,” said Cornyn, [...]
Symposium to commemorate Texas’ anti-SLAPP law June 23
AUSTIN – The Coalition for Free Speech and Haynes and Boone, LLP, will host a symposium and reception June 23, 2016, to commemorate the fifth anniversary of passage of Texas’ anti-SLAPP statute. Paul Brown, former Capital Tonight Anchor, will moderate a lively discussion with lawmakers, public interest groups from both sides of the aisle, SLAPP victims and others about what the statute has meant for the state of Texas. Panelists [...]
Did San Antonio council members reign in Spain?
By Kenric Ward Watchdog.org Originally published June 6, 2016 An overseas trade mission by members of the San Antonio City Council is taking flack from critics who say it skirted Texas’ open-meeting law. Six voting members of the council - constituting a quorum - traveled to Spain last month. The trip was announced in advance, with a declaration that "no official city action will be taken during this mission." With [...]
Houston Mayor Turner uses search firm to keep police chief candidates from public view
By James Pinkerton Houston Chronicle Originally published May 31, 2016 Mayor Sylvester Turner has chosen to select Houston's next police chief through a private executive search firm, taking the position that the applications and résumés of job candidates do not have to be made available through the Texas Public Information Act. The process stands in stark contrast to that used by his predecessor, Annise Parker, who in 2010 released the [...]
Open Government Seminar set for McAllen on June 9
AUSTIN _ The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas will host an Open Government Seminar in McAllen on Thursday, June 9, featuring training in the state’s public meetings and public records laws. The non-profit FOI Foundation will partner with the Texas Attorney General's Office in offering the one-day seminar. It is designed for government employees, journalists, attorneys and members of the general public who want to learn more about the [...]
Waco Editorial: Baylor legal moves in sexual assault saga raise questions about Texas AG’s opinion
By Waco Tribune-Herald Originally published May 22, 2016 Bowing to the cherished principle that transparency makes for better government, better institutions and better communities, state lawmakers last year overwhelmingly passed a law requiring private university and college police departments to release upon request information such as crime reports, just as city police departments must do. We saw this as a triumph for public safety. One idea behind this warmly welcomed [...]
FOI Foundation board member Laura Prather honored by SPJ for exceptional service to journalism
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 10, 2016 INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to honor Jerry Ceppos, Laura Prather and Don Van Natta, Jr., as Fellows of the Society. This is the highest professional honor given by the Society and is awarded for extraordinary contribution to the profession. Jerry Ceppos is currently Dean and William B. Dickinson Distinguished Professor at the Manship School of Mass Communication, Louisiana State [...]
State, Lawyers Debate Identifying Execution Drug Supplier
By Johnathan Silver The Texas Tribune Originally published May 11, 2016 Revealing Texas' supplier of execution drugs could have a harmful effect on the provider and as a result leave the state empty-handed, a lawyer for the state suggested Wednesday during an appeals court hearing. State Deputy Solicitor General Matthew Frederick told a three-judge panel on the Austin-based Third Court of Appeals that a "substantial risk" comes with naming the [...]
Texas Supreme Court ruling helps bar the door to public release of company records
By Dug Begley Houston Chronicle Originally published May 3, 2016 A Texas Supreme Court decision last year that one open records advocate said "blew a hole in the Texas Public Information Act" has been used in the past few months to shield records ranging from Uber's driver information in Houston to how much singer Enrique Iglesias was paid for a McAllen Christmas concert. The 7-1 decision, in the Boeing v. [...]
Open Government Seminar to be held May 3 in Conroe
The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas will host an Open Government Seminar in Conroe, north of Houston, on Tuesday, May 3, featuring training in the state’s public meetings and public records laws. The non-profit FOI Foundation, partnering with the Texas Attorney General’s Office, will offer the one-day seminar designed for government employees, journalists, attorneys and members of the general public who want to learn more about the Texas Public [...]
County’s attorney wants limit on access to information without compensation
By Cassie L. Smith Waco Tribune-Herald Originally published April 23, 2016 McLennan County’s attorney hopes leaders adopt a policy aimed at deterring “intentionally abusive” open records requests, while others say the move could be construed as having a chilling effect on access to public information. Attorney Mike Dixon, who represents McLennan County and its officeholders, said county staff is trying to process burdensome active requests before looking into a provision [...]
Travis County public records fight will head to court after phone plea, banquet invite fail
By Elizabeth Findell Austin American-Statesman Originally published April 19, 2016 Travis County will file a lawsuit to fight the release of information concerning its Workforce Development Re-Entry program after a phone call from County Judge Sarah Eckhardt failed to persuade a local activist to withdraw a public information request. Zenobia Joseph, a former teacher, sent the county a request in December seeking information on the county program, which helps find [...]
Bryan councilman files complaint with AG over nearly $1,000 open records charge
By CAITLIN CLARK The Eagle Originally published April 17, 2016 In his ongoing effort to learn how much the Traditions Club development has cost the city, Bryan city councilman Mike Southerland filed an open records request earlier this month asking for a spreadsheet of expenditures and revenues from multiple fund accounts related to the project. For staff to fill such a request, the city said, it would cost him $998. [...]
AG orders records released; Fort Worth school district settled with Chesapeake for $1million
By Max Baker Fort Worth Star-Telegram Originally published April 11, 2016 FORT WORTH - The Fort Worth school district settled its lawsuit with Chesapeake Energy over natural gas royalties for $1 million, according to documents released Monday after the Texas attorney general decided that the information is public. The attorney general’s office ordered the district to release details of the out-of-court settlement despite efforts by Chesapeake to keep it private [...]
Court: Austin must ID private email addresses used for public business
By Nolan Hicks Austin American-Statesman Originally published April 8, 2016 Public officials won’t be able to shield their personal email addresses from the public if they use the accounts for government business, a state appellate court ruled Friday. Government watchdogs hailed the decision as a win for government transparency and the state’s public records laws. The litigation stems from the “walking quorum” controversy that roiled Austin City Hall five years [...]
Miller’s office withheld emails about ‘Jesus Shot’ trip
By Brian M. Rosenthal Houston Chronicle Originally published April 1, 2016 Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller's office withheld public records that suggest he obtained a medical procedure known as "The Jesus Shot" on a taxpayer-funded trip to Oklahoma, the Houston Chronicle has learned. In response to a February public records request, Miller's office had said that no email messages about the trip existed, even though it had more than a [...]
FOI Foundation of Texas hosting upcoming Open Government Seminars
AUSTIN _ The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas will host Open Government Seminars in the north Houston area, El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley in May and June featuring training in the state’s public meetings and public records laws. The non-profit FOI Foundation, partnering with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, will offer one-day seminars designed for government employees, journalists, attorneys and members of the general public who [...]