Are anonymous bloggers protected by First Amendment?
By Jordan Smith The Austin Chronicle Originally published Nov. 7, 2013 Who is the anonymous blogger known as the "Trooper?" More importantly, does anyone – including Bob Brockman – have a right to know? Those are among the questions now before the Texas Supreme Court after oral arguments this morning in a case where Brockman and the company he heads, Reynolds & Reynolds, seeks to compel Google to divulge the [...]
Records show confidential settlement agreements
By Scott Noll KHOU 11 News I-Team Originally published Nov. 6, 2013 EAST ALDINE AREA, Texas – Weeks after the KHOU 11 News I-Team investigation into possible misuse of tax dollars at a local fire department, we’re learning the amount in question could top $200,000. Through the Texas Public Information Act, the 11 News I-Team obtained confidential settlement agreements between the Westfield Volunteer Fire Department and three former department administrators. [...]
Lawmaker eyes access to UT regents’ computers
By Reeve Hamilton The Texas Tribune Originally published Nov. 4, 2013 State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer believes that the investigation into whether a University of Texas System regent should be impeached could require a look at UT regents' personal computers, iPads and smartphones. In an Oct. 31 letter to Rusty Hardin, special counsel to the House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations, Martinez Fischer — a committee member — submitted [...]
Grand jury investigates secrecy allegations in Irving ISD
By Avi Selk The Dallas Morning News Originally published Nov. 1, 2013 During a bitter power struggle in the spring, four Irving ISD school board members accused their colleague Steven Jones of breaking state laws and district policies. They asked the state to investigate him. But the state declined, and then the tables turned. A grand jury is now investigating the four trustees after Jones complained that their request was [...]
FOI Foundation supports Victoria Advocate information request
The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has submitted comments to the Texas Attorney General's Office in support of the Victoria Advocate, which is requesting information from Calhoun County about a federal lawsuit settlement. Read more in this Nov. 2 news report by Jessica Priest of the Advocate.
Perry defends regent’s records request
By Jay Root The Texas Tribune Originally published Oct. 30, 2013 Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday called the ongoing impeachment investigation into University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall “extraordinary political theater,” and said his appointee’s quest for voluminous records from the University of Texas at Austin was justified. A legislative committee is mulling whether to draw up articles of impeachment against Hall, who has been accused of overstepping the bounds of [...]
Texas Ethics Commission to hold secret proceeding on complaint
By Ross Ramsey The Texas Tribune Originally published Oct. 28, 2013 State ethics regulators are weighing complaints sparked by the political campaigning and legislative influence of the conservative gadfly Michael Quinn Sullivan, Empower Texans and related organizations. But you won’t get a chance to watch most of it. Two lawmakers accused Sullivan and his organizations of breaking the state’s election laws while inveighing against moderate Republicans in the 2012 primaries, [...]
Lawyers withdraw motion to bar public from teen suspect’s trial
By Mitch Mitchell Fort Worth Star-Telegram Originally published Oct. 22, 2013 FORT WORTH — The attorneys for a 14-year-old accused of killing his 5-year-old neighbor withdrew a request to bar the public from the trial during a hearing on Tuesday. The 14-year-old suspect, who is not being identified because he is a juvenile, confessed to killing Sida Osman by hitting him twice in the head with a bowling ball while [...]
Public has right to hear Dallas City Council discussion
The Dallas Morning News Originally published Oct. 21, 2013 The Dallas City Council plans to meet behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss city staffers’ questionable activity impeding the local launch of Uber, an online car service. The public has a right to hear this discussion, in spite of the twisted rationale cited by Mayor Mike Rawlings and City Attorney Warren Ernst to keep it closed. Uber allows customers to use [...]
Testimony begins in UT regent impeachment investigation
By Reeve Hamilton The Texas Tribune Originally published Oct. 22, 2013 After years of simmering tension, a slate of long-awaited hearings that begin Tuesday may advance the ball toward potential resolution of a yearslong feud between the University of Texas System, its flagship institution and the Legislature. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations will, for the first time, hear public testimony from witnesses [...]
YISD trustees question board president’s actions
By Alex Hinojosa El Paso Times Originally published Oct. 18, 2013 Trustees of the Ysleta Independent School District are questioning whether the board president's recent actions to recess during a heated argument at a district board meeting violated the Texas Open Meetings Act. Earlier this week, Trustees Shane Haggerty, Ana Dueñez and Connie Woodruff each sent a letter to board President Patricia McLean, requesting a special meeting so that the [...]
Temple Daily Telegram outlines rights, responsibilities in open records requests
By JANICE GIBBS Temple Daily Telegram Originally published Oct. 14, 2013 Most information generated by a governmental entity, with a few exceptions, is public. “People need to remember the government works for them, we elect the government, we’re a democracy,” said Kelley Shannon, executive director of Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. “They should go in confidently knowing they have a right to review information they are asking for.” Any [...]
West conducts ‘do-over’ in city administrator vote
By TOMMY WITHERSPOON Waco Tribune-Herald Originally published Oct. 12, 2013 West City Council members have called a special meeting for Monday to hire a city administrator because their Oct. 1 vote did not comply with the Texas Open Meetings Act and is not valid. The council will meet at 5 p.m. Monday at West City Hall and is expected to vote — for a second time — to hire West [...]
Appeals court hears Bexar open records case
By John W. Gonzalez San Antonio Express-News Originally published Oct. 9, 2013 AUSTIN — An appellate court heard clashing arguments Wednesday over Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson's long-running refusal to disclose official communications in his private email accounts. The Precinct 4 commissioner, who in 2012 was ordered by a trial court in Austin to release transportation policy-related emails sought by the San Antonio Express-News, insisted anew that the communications were [...]
AG’s office says legislative documents must be released
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott's office has ruled that a state lawmaker’s documents related to the American Legislative Exchange Council must be made public. The attorney general rejected requests by Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, and ALEC to withhold information related to their communications and legislation proposed by the council. The Wisconsin-based Center for Media and Democracy sought the records. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas filed a brief [...]
Experts: Bryan school board broke meetings law; district disagrees
By Caitlin Perrone The Eagle Originally published Sept. 27, 2013 Bryan school board members recently added an issue to the executive session portion of their agenda, just minutes before gathering behind closed doors - a move that several experts said was a violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act. "Personnel" was the only topic listed for discussion during the executive session of the council's Sept. 16 meeting, but the board [...]
City of El Paso files to dismiss email case against Texas attorney general
By Cindy Ramirez El Paso Times, originally published Sept. 19 The city has filed a motion to dismiss its case against the attorney general over an open records debate, saying Tuesday’s release of emails from city officials’ personal accounts make the case moot. In its filing Wednesday, the city also asks for a continuance in its motion to quash a request by local attorney Stephanie Townsend Allala to take depositions [...]
Attorney General closes case against Victoria City Council
Melissa Crowe Victoria Advocate Originally published September 14, 2013 The attorney general's office is closing its open records investigation against the city of Victoria. Four months ago, a public information complaint was filed against the city of Victoria and one former and three current City Council members for records that have yet to be released In a letter dated Sept. 10, Assistant Texas Attorney General Neal Falgoust said the state [...]
FOI Foundation files brief supporting release of lawmaker’s records
The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas in a brief filed with Attorney General Greg Abbott has urged that a lawmaker’s records related to the American Legislative Exchange Council be made public. The FOI Foundation brief supports the position of the Center for Media and Democracy, which sought to obtain records from Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, pertaining to ALEC, a conservative think tank. Klick and the American Legislative Exchange [...]
Key open government legislation taking effect Sept. 1
Two major open government bills passed by the 83rd Legislature become law on Sunday, Sept. 1. A modernization of the Texas Public Information Act contained in Senate Bill 1368 makes it clear that electronic messages dealing with official business are public, regardless of the type of message or device it’s transmitted on. That means the TPIA will adapt to modern modes of communication, such as text messaging, emails and instant [...]