Greater Houston Partnership

Texas Supreme Court limits reach of open government law with GHP ruling

2015-06-26T21:31:44-05:00

By Mark Collette Houston Chronicle Originally published June 26, 2015 In a 6-3 opinion with profound reach on the state's open government laws, the Texas Supreme Court on Friday decided that Greater Houston Partnership doesn't have to open its check registers, even though it receives funds from the city of Houston. The case stemmed from a 2007 request by Jim Jenkins of Montgomery County, who wanted to see how GHP spends the city's money. GHP, the region's major economic development group, argued that it wasn't a governmental body for the purposes of the Texas Public Information Act, and eventually sued to [...]

Texas Supreme Court limits reach of open government law with GHP ruling2015-06-26T21:31:44-05:00

FOI Foundation files court brief arguing Greater Houston Partnership is governmental body

2015-05-06T20:41:34-05:00

AUSTIN - The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has filed a brief with the Texas Supreme Court arguing that the Greater Houston Partnership is a governmental entity and subject to the state open records law. The FOI Foundation amicus brief was filed Monday in an appeal brought by the Greater Houston Partnership against the attorney general's office. The FOI Foundation contends the partnership is a "governmental body" under the Texas Public Information Act. The partnership is supported in part by public funds for the performance of traditional government services, in this case economic development activities, according to the brief. "The [...]

FOI Foundation files court brief arguing Greater Houston Partnership is governmental body2015-05-06T20:41:34-05:00

Houston Chronicle: Greater Houston Partnership undermines good government by avoiding open records

2014-12-15T16:30:53-06:00

Houston Chronicle Opinion/Editorials Staff Originally published Dec. 12, 2014 The Texas Public Information Act was one of the Texas Legislature's grand achievements under the reform-oriented first term of Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby. So it is with an ironic twist that the Greater Houston Partnership, chaired by the former lieutenant governor's son, has spent the past several years trying to avoid key components of that very law. The fight dates back to 2007, when Montgomery County resident Jim Jenkins filed an open records request to see how taxpayer funds were being spent at Houston's supersized business development organization. Transparency is necessary for [...]

Houston Chronicle: Greater Houston Partnership undermines good government by avoiding open records2014-12-15T16:30:53-06:00

Greater Houston Partnership to end public contracts to avoid information requests

2014-12-05T15:18:05-06:00

By Mark Collette and Mike Morris Houston Chronicle Originally published Dec. 4, 2014 Greater Houston Partnership will terminate contracts with Houston, Harris County and surrounding governments, worth about $1 million per year, to avoid fulfilling public information requests, county and GHP officials said Thursday. GHP President Bob Harvey said the group is terminating the deals "in part due to the misperception that we are somehow beholden to the government agencies by virtue of these contracts." Recent court rulings forced GHP's hand, he said in an email. "As a chamber of commerce representing the business community of Houston and as the regional [...]

Greater Houston Partnership to end public contracts to avoid information requests2014-12-05T15:18:05-06:00

Texas Supreme Court refuses to hear Greater Houston Partnership case on Texans’ right to records

2014-10-06T15:37:46-05:00

By Mark Collette Houston Chronicle Originally published Oct. 3, 2014 The Texas Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear a lawsuit by Greater Houston Partnership that could have limited the public's right to know about government money sent to private groups. The case applies to all businesses and nonprofits in Texas that receive public funds. It allows the state attorney general to decide on a case-by-case basis which organizations must open their books under open records law, and under what circumstances. GHP's case attacked one of the earliest and most expansive constructions of Texas open records law, known as the Kneeland [...]

Texas Supreme Court refuses to hear Greater Houston Partnership case on Texans’ right to records2014-10-06T15:37:46-05:00

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