At the state Capitol, the FOI Foundation of Texas supports bills promoting transparency in government and protecting the rights of free speech and free press. The foundation’s staff and volunteers advocate for legislation that strengthens the Texas Public Information Act, the Texas Open Meetings Act and other state laws. Here are updates about transparency efforts in recent Texas legislative sessions.
Guest column: Tell legislators openness needed in government
By Donnis Baggett Published in the Houston Chronicle Originally published April 28, 2017 There's no question Texans are suspicious of government. That's why virtually everyone who ran for the Legislature last year sang the patriotic song of transparency. Unfortunately, campaign season is now a distant memory. Lawmakers have spent four months in the company of lobbyists who are good at convincing legislators that the [...]
Police withheld records of their son’s death; now they know why
By Eric Dexheimer Austin American-Statesman Originally published April 20, 2017 Kathy and Robert Dyer received the phone call out of every parent’s nightmares at 3 a.m. on Aug. 14, 2013. A Mesquite police officer was telling them their 18-year-old son, Graham, was in the hospital with a serious head injury. They should come as quickly as possible. They sped in the dark south to [...]
Texas House considers bills to erode press protection, expose journalists, bloggers to more lawsuits
By J. David McSwane The Dallas Morning News Originally published April 12, 2017 AUSTIN — Plans to force journalists to reveal their sources and further expose media outlets to lawsuits made strange bedfellows Wednesday as leaders of journalism advocacy groups attacked two bills alongside members of a far-right fundraising and propaganda outfit. During a House committee hearing, two bills authored by Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, drew protests [...]
Judge rules portion of Texas Open Meetings Act unconstitutional
By Jesse Mendoza Community Impact Newspaper Originally published April 4, 2017 Presiding Judge Randy Clapp of Wharton County’s 329th District Court ruled that a portion of the Texas Open Meetings Act is unconstitutional—thus dismissing the case against Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal and other officials. The case, which was heard in Montgomery County’s 221st District Court, brought to question whether Doyal, Precinct 2 Commissioner [...]
Texas Senate approves major Public Information Act bills
The Texas Senate passed two major bills Tuesday that would restore public access to government records showing how taxpayer money is spent. Senate Bill 407 and Senate Bill 408 are both authored by state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin. They won final Senate passage and now move on to the House of Representatives. Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, filed identical bills in the House in the [...]
Texas must act now to repair damage to Public Information Act
By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas We Texans are fortunate when it comes to access to government information. Correction. We were fortunate. For more than 40 years, Texas’ open records law was one of the nation’s strongest. The Texas Public Information Act, originating during a time of scandal in the early 1970s, presumes all government records are available to [...]