Remembering tenacious DMN reporter Steve McGonigle
Award-winning Dallas Morning News reporter Steve McGonigle died Saturday after a long illness. Read his full obituary here, as published in The News on Aug. 25, 2013.
El Paso City Council to release personal emails related to ballpark
KVIA Staff Report KVIA.com (El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM) Originally published Aug. 20, 2013 EL PASO, Texas - City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to release a series of emails from the personal accounts of several city officials related to the negotiations in the run-up to the approval of the construction of a new baseball stadium at the site of the old city hall. Council did not say when [...]
Fort Worth lawmaker tries to block request for information on dealings with conservative group
By David Barer The Dallas Morning News Originally published Aug. 15, 2013 AUSTIN — A Fort Worth lawmaker has turned to the attorney general to block a request for information that could show her interactions with the American Legislative Exchange Council, an influential conservative think tank. The Center for Media and Democracy, a Wisconsin-based government watchdog group, requested through Texas public records laws in early July that state lawmakers release [...]
New laws clearly aimed at boosting governmental transparency
By Kolten Parker San Antonio Express-News Originally published Aug. 11, 2013 AUSTIN — As the dust settles on the 83rd Texas Legislature, open government advocates are applauding new laws they say leverage evolving technology to increase access and shine light on all levels of government for both residents and officials. “I think it was a really good session for transparency in government. It was kind of the buzzword of the [...]
FOIFT honors Rep. Todd Hunter, hears from Sen. Wendy Davis
PRESS RELEASE AUSTIN -- Prominent Texas legislators urged Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas conference attendees Friday to remain vigilant in their open government and free speech advocacy. Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, who received the organization’s inaugural Open Government Lawmaker of the Year Award, said he was raised in a family that valued free speech and noted that many elected officials support open government and First Amendment rights. The [...]
Capital Tonight: National healthcare debate plays out in Texas
Representative Todd Hunter discusses government transparency initiatives during the 83rd legislative session on the Thursday edition of YNN's Capital Tonight.
UT-Austin Cancels Regent’s Records Requests
By Reeve Hamilton, Texas Tribune Originally posted, 08.07.13 Over two dozen boxes containing open records requests from the University of Texas system have been retrieved for use by UT Austin. (Image source: Texas Tribune) Kevin Hegarty, the chief financial officer and custodian of records for the University of Texas at Austin, informed the University of Texas System on Monday that all pending records requests from embattled Regent Wallace Hall are [...]
FOIFT ED Kelley Shannon on Austin’s Capital Tonight
On a Friday segment of YNN’s Capital Tonight, Executive Director Kelley Shannon joined anchor Paul Brown to discuss the Freedom of Information Foundation and its mission, open government successes and failures during the 83rd legislative session, and the upcoming 2013 Bernard and Audre Rapoport state conference. FOIFT will host its annual conference this Friday, August 9th at the Sheraton Austin. Speakers, panelists and honorees include, Sen. Wendy Davis, Sen. Judith [...]
Open government efforts are cause for celebration
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Originally published 13 August 2 An editor and reporter whose work in El Paso exposed a school test-rigging scandal and a state legislator from Corpus Christi who has worked to improve public access to government information are being recognized by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. In short, the group’s scheduled annual conference Friday in Austin is expected to be a celebration of and workshop on open [...]
Rep. Todd Hunter named Open Government Lawmaker of the Year
AUSTIN -- Rep. Todd Hunter, who has authored legislation to improve public access to government and protect First Amendment rights, is receiving the Open Government Lawmaker of the Year Award from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, is chairman of the House Calendars Committee. He served in the House from 1989-97 and returned in 2009. He has long been an advocate for open government. Hunter will [...]
State insisting it be given info on Twitter users
By Kolten Parker, Eva Ruth Moravec San Antonio Express-News Originally published July 31, 2013 AUSTIN — State police have demanded Twitter records from two users that officials allege made “terroristic threats” against lawmakers who pushed for abortion restrictions. One targeted user, Denise Romano, an Austin woman with a private Twitter account, explains on her page that posts are “satirical.” The second user’s account is anonymous and was unused for more [...]
Robert Moore, Zahira Torres of El Paso Times to be honored with James Madison Award for reports on school cheating scandal
AUSTIN -- El Paso Times editor Robert Moore and former Times reporter Zahira Torres, who together did extensive reporting on a school test-rigging scandal, are the recipients of the 2013 James Madison Award presented by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. The award is given annually to those who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to upholding the principles of the First Amendment. It will be presented Aug. 9 during the [...]
Transparency Committee Proceeding With Probe of Hall
By Evan Smith Published July 27, 2013 The co-chairs of the Texas House’s Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations have formally asked the University of Texas System to preserve all documents related to Regent Wallace Hall, against whom articles of impeachment are being considered, and to avoid retaliation against employees who may be called to testify. In a letter sent Thursday to Gene Powell, the chairman of the [...]
Conference updates: Davis to be keynote speaker + early registration ends TODAY, JULY 26TH!
Friday, August 9th, FOIFT will convene its 2013 Bernard and Audre Rapoport State Conference at the Sheraton Austin. This year’s conference will focus on Transparency in Texas, examining the 83rd legislative session and open government issues in higher education. Registration for the conference is available through the day of the conference, but the early registration period ends this Friday, July 26th. Don’t miss out on the early bird fee! For [...]
Open government in Texas is getting more open thanks to new state laws
By Dave Lieber, Dallas News Published: 25 July 2013 11:04 PM Don’t fall off your chair when you hear this, but the Legislature has enacted major changes in how Texans can monitor their local, county and state governments. These changes are for the better for both officials and the public. Texas is the first state in the nation to create a new way to monitor the work and deliberations of [...]
Parkland Memorial Hospital refuses to release costly report on executive compensation
By Sherry Jacobson Originally posted 7.23.13 Top officials at Parkland Memorial Hospital have been working since last fall on a tough issue related to executive compensation. The hospital’s board of managers wasn’t sure it was paying top Parkland managers enough money to keep them from leaving for better-paying jobs. The hospital has experienced a sweeping overhaul of top managers since it failed a series of government inspections in 2011. Last [...]
Davis, other Texas lawmakers to address annual FOIFT conference
Sen. Wendy Davis, vice-chair of the Senate Open Government Committee, will be the luncheon keynote speaker at the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas annual conference Aug. 9. Davis, D-Fort Worth, proposed a package of transparency bills during this year’s regular legislative session related to the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Another of her open government bills ultimately included important updates to the Texas Public Information Act. For [...]
Victoria Advocate to file open records complaint against Calhoun County
By Jessica Priest Victoria Advocate Originally published July 20, 2013 A month after Calhoun County ended a law suit with a former employee, it still refuses to release the terms of the settlement. The Victoria Advocate plans to file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s office seeking the terms under the Texas Public Information Act. The Advocate first requested the settlement agreement on June 18 to shed light on [...]
Conference deadline: Today is the last day to reserve a room at conference rate!
On August 9th, the Freedom of Information Foundation will be hosting its annual meeting at the Sheraton Austin. The deadline to reserve a room for this event at the conference rate of $159 per night for the nights of August 8th, 9th and/or 10th is today, July 19th. For more information on room reservations or to register for the conference, click here.
Tables Turn as Sandefer Requests Zaffirini’s Records
By Reeve Hamilton Originally published 2013 July 19 In June, a new entrant quietly joined the fray in the ongoing open records wars between the Legislature and the University of Texas System: Austin businessman Jeff Sandefer, who filed an open records request with state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, the former chairmwoman of the Senate Higher Education Committee Sandefer — the founder of the Acton School of Business, a private MBA [...]