Joe Larsen

Threats from Gov. Abbott among reasons why a Texas school district keeps book challenges secretive

FOIFT2022-01-10T17:02:41-06:00

By Talia Richman The Dallas Morning News Originally published Jan. 10, 2022 Fear of retribution from Gov. Greg Abbott contributes to Keller school officials’ push to keep deliberations about which books to ban from libraries private. ... Joe Larsen, an attorney on the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas board of directors, reviewed Keller ISD’s arguments. But despite the district’s concerns, he said, book challenge committee meetings should be open to the public because of the decisions members are empowered to make. “What we’re able to read is the basis of a free society,” Larsen said. “There are obviously going to [...]

Threats from Gov. Abbott among reasons why a Texas school district keeps book challenges secretiveFOIFT2022-01-10T17:02:41-06:00

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

FOIFT2020-05-18T14:19:25-05:00

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 wrapsFOIFT2020-05-18T14:19:25-05:00

Texas’ highest criminal court strikes down a provision of Open Meetings Act as ‘constitutionally vague’

FOIFT2019-02-27T18:03:41-06:00

By Emma Platoff The Texas Tribune Originally published Feb. 27, 2019 In a major blow to the state’s government transparency laws, Texas’ highest criminal court has struck down a significant provision of the Texas Open Meetings Act, calling it “unconstitutionally vague.” That law, which imposes basic requirements providing for public access to and information about governmental meetings, makes it a crime for public officials to “knowingly [conspire] to circumvent this chapter by meeting in numbers less than a quorum for the purpose of secret deliberations.” That provision aims to keep public officials from convening smaller meetings — without an official quorum [...]

Texas’ highest criminal court strikes down a provision of Open Meetings Act as ‘constitutionally vague’FOIFT2019-02-27T18:03:41-06:00

TribTalk: R.I.P, the Texas Public Information Act

FOIFT2018-12-07T15:42:39-06:00

By Joe Larsen Attorney Gregor Cassidy, PLLC Board Member, FOI Foundation of Texas Originally published Dec. 7, 2018, in the Texas Tribune The once-robust Texas Public Information Act lies bleeding. The Texas Supreme Court’s decision this year to deny a newspaper’s petition for review of the opinion of the 1st Court of Appeals in the case of Nehls v. Hartman Newspapers is the latest deep cut. Nehls effectively nullifies the provision of the PIA that says a court shall award attorneys’ fees to a requestor who substantially prevails against a governmental body in a lawsuit to require release of public information. [...]

TribTalk: R.I.P, the Texas Public Information ActFOIFT2018-12-07T15:42:39-06:00

Former Richardson ISD board member alleges board secretly deliberated before votes

FOIFT2018-07-10T14:52:09-05:00

By Nanette Light The Dallas Morning News Originally published July 9, 2018 A former Richardson ISD school board member has sued the school district and its board of trustees, alleging "continuous and systematic" violations of the state's open meetings law. David Tyson Jr. - a black businessman who has challenged the validity of the all-white board in the diverse district - said in the civil lawsuit that the school board has participated in a long-running practice of violating the state's open meetings laws. The result, he alleged, has been that votes are merely "rubber-stamp" formalities. Read the full story here.

Former Richardson ISD board member alleges board secretly deliberated before votesFOIFT2018-07-10T14:52:09-05:00

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