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.
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.
Legislature approves bill giving journalists ability to report wrongdoing allegations
AUSTIN - The Texas House today approved legislation that allows journalists to continue accurately reporting on allegations of wrongdoing in matters of public importance. The legislation by Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, and Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, clarifies a recent Texas Supreme Court decision. The measure provides protection under libel law for reporting on third party allegations that shine light on matters such as [...]
Texas Senate panel considers bill banning one-party consent for recording
AUSTIN - Texas would join a small number of states banning one-party consent for electronic recordings of conversations under a bill the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee considered Tuesday. Senate Bill 1223 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, would require all parties that are in a conversation to give their consent to a recording. Only 12 states have such a law. Most states and the [...]
Private college police bill among open government proposals this week at Texas Capitol
The Texas House Higher Education Committee heard testimony this week on Senate Bill 308, which would make private college campus police records accessible to the public. Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, sponsored the measure in the House. The bill originated with Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, following a videotaped beating of a man by Rice University police. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and other [...]