Supplying information swiftly – not delaying it – is government’s duty
By Kelley Shannon If you work in government, here’s something to remember: You work for the people. It’s your job to ensure citizens can interact with their government and have the information they need to hold it accountable. That includes handing over public records when someone requests them. In Texas, government documents are presumed to be open to everyone and can only be withheld under specific confidentiality exemptions in the [...]
Austin police will now release video footage of critical incidents within 10 days
By Kelsey BradshawAustin American-StatesmanOriginally published July 23, 2021 Austin police will now release video footage from critical incidents, like shootings that involve officers, within 10 business days of the event, the department announced Friday. Critical incidents include: Shootings in which an office discharges a gun, including incidents where no one is shot or if no allegation of misconduct is made.A use of force incident that results in death or serious [...]
Update on COVID-19 Texas Open Meetings Act suspensions
Gov. Greg Abbott has announced that his March 2020 suspension of sections of the Texas Open Meetings Act amid the COVID-19 pandemic will be lifted as of Sept. 1, 2021. Abbott suspended parts of the law requiring a quorum to be in one physical place for a virtual meeting and requiring a physical meeting place for the public to observe the meeting. The order required certain notice provisions to enable [...]
2021 Texas Gavel Award winners announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 6, 2021Contact: Amy StarnesPublic Information Director, State Bar of Texas800-204-2222, ext. 1706, or 512-427-1706 [email protected] AUSTIN—Stories that critically examined the Texas criminal justice system’s treatment of the mentally ill and inmates regarded as innocent are among the winners of the 2021 Texas Gavel Awards. Journalists representing Texas Monthly, The Texas Tribune, San Antonio Express-News, and Austin’s KXAN-TV were selected as winners of the 2021 awards. The Texas Gavel [...]
Yet another local government continues to dodge the Texas Public Information Act, citing ‘skeleton crew’
This is another example of a local government still claiming pandemic "skeleton crew" as a reason for not responding promptly to Texas Public Information Act requests. This time it's the city of El Paso. The Texas attorney general's office needs to update its guidance on skeleton crew and remote work to fit with the modern work world. Read the full story here: https://elpasomatters.org/2021/06/29/as-city-attorneys-office-continues-on-a-skeleton-crew-access-to-public-records-remains-a-challenge/
Another example of a Texas public entity avoiding the Public Information Act by claiming ‘skeleton crew’
This tweet by reporter Dave Hendricks about IDEA Public Schools is yet another example of abuse of the Texas Public Information Act and the Texas attorney general's "skeleton crew" guidance. The school system should have responded to records requests even though they were working remotely during COVID-19 over the past year. Most records are available electronically these days. Additionally, the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has urged the AG's [...]
FOI Foundation warns TDCJ about unwitnessed execution of Quintin Jones
The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has issued the following letter to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice: June 9, 2021 Bryan CollierExecutive DirectorTexas Department of Criminal JusticeP.O. Box 99Huntsville, TX 77342 Re: Unwitnessed execution of Quintin Jones Dear Mr. Collier: The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas (“FOIFT”) writes to rebuke the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and your execution of Quintin Jones with no public witness present. Executions [...]
Legislative Update: 2021 session
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUSTIN — Texas lawmakers approved two key transparency measures this session to ensure greater access to public records after some governments closed off information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Greg Abbott signed both bills in the final days of the legislative session. The laws take effect Sept. 1. Senate Bill 930 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, guarantees the public’s right to know about coronavirus and other communicable [...]
Governor signs nursing home transparency bill after COVID-19 outbreak left many in the dark
The public will gain access to information on COVID-19 and other communicable disease outbreaks in Texas nursing homes and assisted living centers under a bipartisan transparency bill Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law May 24. Senate Bill 930 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini and co-author Sen. Lois Kolkhorst came about after nursing home residents and their loved ones were unable to obtain information on coronavirus clusters in the living facilities when [...]
Save the date! FOIFT state conference set for Sept. 24
The FOI Foundation of Texas will hold its state conference in person this year on Friday, Sept. 24, at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center at the University of Texas in Austin. Save the date, and stay tuned for more details soon on registration and the lineup of speakers. We're excited to see you open government supporters in person in September.
Transparency bills on the move in Texas Legislature
By Kelley Shannon Transparency bills are moving forward in the Texas Legislature with bipartisan support to promote open government and correct public information access problems that arose amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With about five weeks left in the legislative session, here’s a status report on bills backed by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, the Texas Press Association, the Texas Association of Broadcasters and other members of the Transparent [...]
Texas House committee approves two major open government bills
The Texas House State Affairs Committee unanimously approved two bills Wednesday addressing governments that quit responding to Texas Public Information Acts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The panel approved House Bill 1416 by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, specifying which days are to be counted as business days for purposes of the Public Information Act. Currently, the law doesn't define TPIA business days. Many governments, citing long-ago attorney general guidance, decided on [...]
Sunshine Week 2021 Features Online Forum
The Texas Public Policy Foundation hosted this online event on March 18, 2021, during Sunshine Week 2021. Click here to watch "Sunshine Week 2021: Regaining Trust in Texas Government." The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas was pleased to participate, along with other transparency advocates.
Sunshine Week: Public’s right to know should be front and center, especially now, in Texas
By Kelley Shannon With state lawmakers immersed in the COVID-19 pandemic response and Texas’ electricity failures, the public’s access to information must be at the forefront of the Legislature’s actions. Information allows citizens to watch over their government, to speak out and to ask questions. There’s no better time than Sunshine Week, starting March 14, to emphasize the importance of the people’s right to know. The Freedom of Information Foundation [...]
Sen. Zaffirini files package of open government bills
Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, has filed seven bills to improve the Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act. Senate Bills 924 to 930 filed Tuesday address such issues as deadlines for governmental entities to respond to public records requests and citizen access protections for video or telephone virtual public meetings. All of the measures were also combined in an omnibus bill, SB 923. “Transparency is essential to preserving [...]
Speaker Pro Tem Joe Moody, expert panel address Texas law enforcement transparency in webinar
Texas House Speaker Pro Tem Joe Moody, Josh Hinkle of KXAN-TV, Eva Ruth Moravec of the Texas Justice Initiative and Kathy Mitchell of Just Liberty discussed the latest in police transparency laws during a one-hour webinar on Feb. 24. Hinkle, leader of KXAN's investigative team, moderated the panel discussion, which was free and open to the public. The FOI Foundation of Texas and ACLU of Texas co-hosted the event. Watch [...]
In pandemic era, Texans’ access to public information at risk
By Kelley Shannon Bold steps nearly 50 years ago created a landmark protection for the people’s right to know in Texas. Lawmakers approved the state’s open records law, now known as the Texas Public Information Act. Born out of a political financial scandal, the act’s aim was to allow citizens to hold public officials accountable. For the most part, this Texas transparency law has served us well. It’s essential in [...]
Legislation clarifies “business days” when responding to Texas Public Information Act requests
Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, has filed an open government bill designed to clarify "business days" for governmental entities responding to requests made under the Texas Public Information Act. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, some governments have refused to respond to TPIA requests if their physical offices were closed, even if the staff was working remotely. Many of those governments, citing guidance from the Texas attorney general's office, said such a day [...]
Government financial transparency briefing with Rep. Giovanni Capriglione set for Feb. 9
Join open government advocates for a financial transparency online briefing with state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione at 9 a.m. on Feb. 9, 2021. The Texas Association of Broadcasters is hosting this free event. More information and registration is at https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Join-Us-for-an-Open-Government-Flash-Briefing.html?soid=1102410017667&aid=Jne3dQSWDYM
Austin cites new state law to keep secret pandemic relief non-profits
By Ryan AutulloAustin American-StatesmanOriginally published Jan. 8, 2021 More than $6 million in taxpayer money flowed to Austin nonprofits affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but taxpayers might never learn the identities of the organizations that got the money or get a chance to dig into their stated need for assistance. The city of Austin is citing a little-noticed provision in a new Texas law to keep secret the identities of non-profits receiving [...]