John Whitmire

Private college police bill among open government proposals this week at Texas Capitol

2015-04-30T14:55:12-05:00

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 open government advocates are supporting the bill. On Wednesday, before the House committee, Dallas Morning News reporter Melissa Repko and KPRC-TV reporter Robert Arnold of Houston testified, respectively, on their experiences covering police at Southern Methodist University [...]

Private college police bill among open government proposals this week at Texas Capitol2015-04-30T14:55:12-05:00

Senate panel votes to classify private university police records as public

2015-03-17T20:40:09-05:00

Following violent incidents involving private university police officers, the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday approved legislation that would classify those campus police records as public information. The committee voted 5-0 in favor of sending Senate Bill 308 by Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, to the full Senate. Robert Arnold, a reporter for KPRC-TV in Houston who reported on a videotaped beating of a man by Rice University police, testified on the bill. The 2013 beating was captured on a dash camera that Rice police refused to fully release to the public. The proposed legislation would make such records obtainable under the [...]

Senate panel votes to classify private university police records as public2015-03-17T20:40:09-05:00

Sunshine Week: Legislative spotlight on private email accounts, police records, news reporting

2015-03-16T13:49:20-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas Private university police beat a man suspected of stealing a bicycle. The violent episode was captured on a dash camera, but when questions arose the police refused to release the complete video. City officials used their personal email accounts to discuss government business, just as Hillary Clinton did as secretary of state. When a citizen sought the local records, which are public under Texas law, city employees claimed their power was limited because they didn’t have custody of the documents. As matters of widespread public concern come to light – [...]

Sunshine Week: Legislative spotlight on private email accounts, police records, news reporting2015-03-16T13:49:20-05:00

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