Center for Public Integrity

Texas Monthly: Texas has a transparency problem

FOIFT2016-12-08T13:03:06-06:00

By Leif Reigstad Texas Monthly Originally published Dec. 5, 2016 Texas received a grade of D- in the Center for Public Integrity‘s state rankings for accountability and transparency last November, including an F in the “public access to information” category. And the Lone Star State certainly didn’t do anything to improve its performance in 2016. This year state agencies have blocked public access to information regarding everything from small oddities to some of the most serious issues Texans have faced in 2016. The implications of such secrecy should resonate with all Texans: government agencies and their spokespeople sometimes don’t tell the public the entire truth (they are, after all, human), and [...]

Texas Monthly: Texas has a transparency problemFOIFT2016-12-08T13:03:06-06:00

State Integrity Investigation gives Texas an F in public information access

FOIFT2015-11-09T16:09:27-06:00

The latest State Integrity Investigation conducted by the non-profit Center for Public Integrity gives Texas a D- overall and an F in public access to information. Veteran Texas journalist David Montgomery conducted the study for our state. Read the news story and see the rankings on the CPI or Texas Tribune websites.

State Integrity Investigation gives Texas an F in public information accessFOIFT2015-11-09T16:09:27-06:00

DMN: Force elected officials to publicly vote on open records issues

FOIFT2014-04-01T15:39:48-05:00

By Scott K. Parks The Dallas Morning News Originally published March 31, 2014 Among friends, keeping secrets is a good thing. Not so much when it comes to governments keeping secrets from citizens. Local governments in North Texas have a penchant for secrecy. They routinely deny citizen requests for public records under a system that only a crook or a government-paid lawyer could love. First, a little background. The Texas Public Information Act allows any citizen to file a written request for records kept in government file cabinets or computers. The law applies to local governments, state agencies, the Legislature and [...]

DMN: Force elected officials to publicly vote on open records issuesFOIFT2014-04-01T15:39:48-05:00

Dallas Morning News: Transparency is hope for citizens, foil for officeholders

FOIFT2014-03-19T14:49:48-05:00

The Dallas Morning News Editorial Originally published March 18, 2014 There is not a crime, there is not a dodge, there is not a trick, there is not a swindle, there is not a vice which does not live by secrecy.” Joseph Pulitzer This is Sunshine Week, a time to celebrate and advocate for truth and transparency. And although our iWorld of websites, smartphones and laptops might be unrecognizable to Pulitzer and other turn-of-the-20th-century purveyors of “new journalism,” they would no doubt recognize — and lament — one aspect: the seemingly never-ending quest to force greater transparency from government. That struggle [...]

Dallas Morning News: Transparency is hope for citizens, foil for officeholdersFOIFT2014-03-19T14:49:48-05:00

Attorney General closes case against Victoria City Council

ashleywp2022-04-07T16:12:45-05:00

Melissa Crowe Victoria Advocate Originally published September 14, 2013 The attorney general's office is closing its open records investigation against the city of Victoria. Four months ago, a public information complaint was filed against the city of Victoria and one former and three current City Council members for records that have yet to be released In a letter dated Sept. 10, Assistant Texas Attorney General Neal Falgoust said the state would close the case against the city of Victoria. The enforcement authority of the attorney general's office does not include on-site inspections of records held by another governmental office, according to [...]

Attorney General closes case against Victoria City Councilashleywp2022-04-07T16:12:45-05:00

CONTACT INFO

TEXAS FOI NEWS

QUICK LINKS

MENU

RESOURCES

Contact Info

Latest News