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.
Tom Hicks, Kay Bailey Hutchison among those who helped underqualified students get into UT-Austin, records show
By Bobby Blanchard and Christy Hoppe The Dallas Morning News Originally published July 20, 2015 AUSTIN – Dozens of highly influential Texans – including lawmakers, millionaire donors and university regents – helped under-qualified students get into the University of Texas at Austin, often by writing to UT officials, records show. Among those who wrote directly to then-President Bill Powers and then-Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, bypassing [...]
New Texas laws protect public’s right to know
AUSTIN – Texans will gain access to private university police records and more easily observe public meetings because of action this legislative session, while journalists can continue robust reporting on allegations of wrongdoing. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas pressed for these and other transparency measures in the 84th Legislature, which concluded Monday. One highlight was passage of Senate Bill 627, allowing journalists [...]
Gov. Abbott signs legislation providing press freedom to report wrongdoing allegations
AUSTIN - Gov. Greg Abbott has signed Senate Bill 627, making it clear that journalists can report on allegations of wrongdoing and receive protections under state law. Abbott signed the bill late Thursday night. The legislation was authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and sponsored by Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi. The measure codifies a defense for accurately reporting on third-party allegations. That defense [...]
House expected to remove ban on media access to accident reports
AUSTIN - A Senate amendment to House Bill 2633 that would ban news media access to detailed traffic accident reports is expected to be stripped out of the bill in a conference committee. House sponsors of the legislation have said the bill by Rep. Ana Hernandez, D-Houston, is expected to return to its House version with removal of the Senate language that was added [...]
Open government advocates optimistic about Texas legislative session
By Eva-Marie Ayala The Dallas Morning News Originally published May 20, 2015 AUSTIN — Texans are likely to get greater access to campus police records and public meetings online. But after a group secretly taped lawmakers in Austin, some are wary of legislation that could make it harder to record audio without the consent of all recorded. A variety of bills still in play [...]
Lawmakers pass bill making college police records public
AUSTIN - The Texas House today passed legislation making private university police records subject to the Texas Public Information Act. Senate Bill 308 by Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, had already passed the Senate and was sponsored in the House by Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston. The open government bill passed on the House Local and Consent Calendar. It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott.