Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas

FOI Column: Even during a pandemic, government must be open with easy access

2022-03-31T17:08:20-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Reopening public places amid the COVID-19 pandemic should certainly be carried out with caution. Government offices are no exception. Yet citizens must have the ability to watch over their government, even during an emergency. Especially during an emergency.   It’s long past time to reopen public access to government records and meetings that have been shut off for months. This can happen even if government employees continue to work from home for safety reasons.  The Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act – two major open government laws that help us learn about everything from local zoning [...]

FOI Column: Even during a pandemic, government must be open with easy access2022-03-31T17:08:20-05:00

Legal standards for release of police body camera video

2022-06-30T15:53:27-05:00

Editors Note: The Texas body camera statute is contained in the Texas Occupations Code. Section 1701.661 governs public release of body cam footage.) -- By Paul Watler Cell phone videos captured in the street of police use of force involving citizens seem commonplace of late. The videos go viral on social media and dominate ensuing news cycles on television and in print media. But it is not commonplace for the public to see - or news organizations to obtain - official body camera video of the incidents. In fact, current law in most states permits law enforcement to routinely withhold officer body camera footage [...]

Legal standards for release of police body camera video2022-06-30T15:53:27-05:00

Transparency panel addresses open government concerns amid COVID-19 pandemic

2020-10-07T23:38:19-05:00

Requestors seeking government records using the Texas Public Information Act are running into roadblocks during the COVID-19 pandemic. A panel of journalists and open government experts addressed their concerns and questions during an online policy discussion Wednesday hosted by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini and co-hosted by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, the Texas Association of Broadcasters and the Texas Press Association. View a recording of online event on the senator's Facebook page. Several questions from audience members centered on government offices saying they are not filling Public Information Act requests because their offices are closed or are operating on [...]

Transparency panel addresses open government concerns amid COVID-19 pandemic2020-10-07T23:38:19-05:00

Texas HHSC to release names and locations of nursing homes with COVID-19 outbreaks

2020-08-26T21:57:28-05:00

After the Texas Attorney General's Office rejected most of the secrecy arguments made by the state Health and Human Services Commission, the agency is now the releasing the names and locations of nursing homes and state living facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, journalists and interested citizens requested the information under the Texas Public Information Act. The FOI Foundation and others made it clear they were not seeking information that would identify individual patients. The attorney general's open records division issued a ruling July 6 rejecting almost all of the HHSC's arguments for withholding the facility [...]

Texas HHSC to release names and locations of nursing homes with COVID-19 outbreaks2020-08-26T21:57:28-05:00

After Statesman inquiry, lawsuit aims to keep Texas Teacher Retirement System’s lease under wraps

2020-05-18T14:19:25-05:00

By Bob SechlerAustin American-StatesmanOriginally published May 15, 2020 The Teacher Retirement System of Texas describes itself as committed to public transparency and says it’s no longer trying to prevent disclosure of the full terms of its multimillion-dollar office lease in the luxury Indeed Tower high-rise under construction in downtown Austin. But that hasn’t stopped a development company in which the taxpayer-funded retirement system has a big financial stake from continuing the state agency’s nearly yearlong legal effort to conceal the information following multiple American-Statesman requests for it. The company — TC Austin Block 71 LLC — has filed a lawsuit against [...]

After Statesman inquiry, lawsuit aims to keep Texas Teacher Retirement System’s lease under wraps2020-05-18T14:19:25-05:00

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  • Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas
    Kelley Shannon, Executive Director
    3001 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 302
    Austin, Texas 78705

  • (512) 377-1575

  • [email protected]

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