Workshop on Public Information/Open Meetings to be held in Fort Worth
September 12, 2012 The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and the Office of the Attorney General of Texas will hold the fourth of five 2012 Open Government seminars around the state in Fort Worth. The seminar will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, September 28, at the Tarrant County College Trinity East Campus (Jones Street and Belknap Street) located at 245 E. Belknap (Room 1050, [...]
James Madison Award 2011 Recipient Announced
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Monday, August 1, 2011: The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas will present the 2011 James Madison Award on August 12, in Austin, Texas, to Evan Smith, the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of the Texas Tribune. As an original co-founder and the guiding force behind the Tribune, Smith has made the online nonprofit news site an indispensable and highly regarded source of state government news. A committed believer [...]
Freedom of Information Foundation will hold annual conference in Austin
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Friday, July 22, 2011: After the recent legislative session, many open government advocates feel embattled and in a constant struggle to at least maintain the status quo. DOB’s (dates of birth) of governmental employees will no longer be considered a “public record,” and in most cases photographs of police officers are off limits. And, at a time when Governor Rick Perry is escalating his cross-country travel, as [...]
Texas Lawmakers Pledge Support of Open Government
AUSTIN, FEBRUARY 15 – Nearly 20 percent of elected state officials voluntarily signed a Texas Open Government Pledge, which is a promise to uphold the letter and spirit of the state’s open government laws. “We applaud these lawmakers for demonstrating their commitment to ensure the public’s right to know,” said Keith Elkins, Executive Director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas (FOIFT). “As far as I know,” Elkins added, “this [...]
FOIFT Collaborates with Texas Tribune on Light of Day Project
The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas joining forces with award-winning online news site The Texas Tribune to conduct a statewide project for journalism students. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that educates and advocates for open government and First Amendment issues, announced today that they have partnered with the Texas Tribune to implement the Light of Day Project. Founded six years ago, the Light of [...]
Freedom of Information Foundation to Hold Annual FOI Conference In Austin
The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas will hold its 2010 Bernard and Audre Raporport State Conference on Friday, August 13 at the Renaissance Hotel in Austin. This year’s theme is Open Government: Navigating Digital Dangers. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott will be the conference’s Luncheon Keynote Speaker. The highlight of Friday’s program will be the John Henry Faulk Awards Luncheon and the presentation of the James Madison Award to [...]
Big Spring Lawsuit for Alleged TOMA Violation
February 18, 2010 The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas is pleased to assist the Concerned Citizens Council of Big Spring – Howard County in the filing of a lawsuit against the City of Big Spring, challenging a decision made during an illegal meeting under the Texas Open Meetings Act and asking for a tax rollback election as a remedy. “We are in Big Spring today not to tell local [...]
Race for Governor: Democratic Primary Debate
February 8, 2010 DALLAS/FORT WORTH: Leading Democratic candidates in the primary race for Texas governor convene for their first live debate on Monday, February 8 at 7:00 p.m. The Texas Debates: Race for Governor will broadcast to millions statewide on public and commercial television and radio and online at www.TexasDebates.org. The debate includes former Houston Mayor Bill White and Texas businessman Farouk Shami. Final determination regarding other potential debate participants [...]
Big Lake TOMA
January 21, 2010 The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas applauds the brave, courageous and responsible action taken by the Big Lake City Council earlier this week. During Tuesday night’s council meeting that governing body voted to remove its name from a federal lawsuit filed by the City of Alpine challenging the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA). It is one of the first named plaintiffs to pass such a resolution. [...]
Race for Governor: Republican Primary Debate
December 21, 2009 DALLAS/FORT WORTH: Republican candidates in the highly anticipated Texas gubernatorial race will square off in The Texas Debates: Race for Governor on Thursday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m. The live debate broadcast to millions on television, radio and online throughout the state will include two-term Texas Governor Rick Perry and three-term U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Final determination about other potential debate participants will be made following [...]
Freedom of Information Foundation’s Student Project Results in Record Fine
AUSTIN, TEXAS – Friday, November 6, 2009: When Erin Cooper was a journalism student at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, in the Fall of 2006, she participated in a student program of The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. The Foundation’s program is called the “Light of Day” project. Journalism faculty at Texas’ universities participate in the Foundation’s statewide topic to teach students how to use public records, including the [...]
Freedom of Information Foundation Announces James Madison Award Winners At Annual John Henry Faulk Awards Luncheon
Austin, Texas, August 21, 2009 — After more than a decade of efforts involving Texas’ leading journalists, attorneys and other public interest groups, Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis, D-Harris County, and State Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Nueces County and surrounding counties, joined forces to get the state’s first “Free Flow of Information Act” passed during this year’s legislative session. Their efforts garnered the two elected officials the James Madison Award, the highest [...]