Texas Public Information Act

Texas Senate approves open government measures, sends them to House

2017-05-12T04:08:22-05:00

After several major open government measures stalled in the House Government Transparency and Operation Committee a few days ago, the Texas Senate breathed new life into the legislation Thursday by adding the bills onto a Texas Public Information Act proposal. Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, amended House Bill 2328 by Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-Brownsville, on the Senate floor. Included in the amendments were issues contained in legislation by Watson, Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, and Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake. The bottomline: Bills that address the troubling Boeing ruling and Greater Houston Partnership ruling by the Texas Supreme Court are now revived, [...]

Texas Senate approves open government measures, sends them to House2017-05-12T04:08:22-05:00

Guest column: Tell legislators openness needed in government

2017-04-29T04:49:18-05:00

By Donnis Baggett Published in the Houston Chronicle Originally published April 28, 2017 There's no question Texans are suspicious of government. That's why virtually everyone who ran for the Legislature last year sang the patriotic song of transparency. Unfortunately, campaign season is now a distant memory. Lawmakers have spent four months in the company of lobbyists who are good at convincing legislators that the interests of their clients are more important than open government. A tabernacle-sized choir singing the chorus of transparency has dwindled to a small combo that could rehearse in a two-car garage. It's time for the others who [...]

Guest column: Tell legislators openness needed in government2017-04-29T04:49:18-05:00

Texas must act now to repair damage to Public Information Act

2022-03-31T17:08:36-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas We Texans are fortunate when it comes to access to government information. Correction. We were fortunate. For more than 40 years, Texas’ open records law was one of the nation’s strongest. The Texas Public Information Act, originating during a time of scandal in the early 1970s, presumes all government records are available to citizens, unless there’s a specific exception preventing release of the document. But our modern era of openness shifted dramatically with two state Supreme Court decisions in 2015 known as the Boeing ruling and the Greater Houston Partnership [...]

Texas must act now to repair damage to Public Information Act2022-03-31T17:08:36-05:00

Watson, Capriglione: Close loopholes in the state Public Information Act

2017-01-27T15:53:31-06:00

By Kirk Watson and Giovanni Capriglione Published by the Houston Chronicle Jan. 26, 2017 After the Sharpstown fraud and bribery scandal rocked the Texas Capitol in the early 1970s, Texans opted to "throw the rascals out" and elect a reform-minded Legislature to clean up the mess. A cornerstone of the 63rd Legislature's reform agenda was the Public Information Act of 1973, which empowered the people to see what their government officials were doing and hold them accountable. Lawmakers clearly stated that the public's right to know, in most cases, should prevail over other interests because information is key to accountability. But [...]

Watson, Capriglione: Close loopholes in the state Public Information Act2017-01-27T15:53:31-06:00

Texas news organizations cover legislative efforts to strengthen Public Information Act

2017-01-05T15:41:22-06:00

On Tuesday, Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, and Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, filed legislation to strengthen the Texas Public Information Act and repair damage done by to the law two 2015 Texas Supreme Court rulings. News organizations around the state have written news stories and editorials on the legislative efforts. Here are some of the reports: The Dallas Morning News Fort Worth Star-Telegram Austin American-Statesman McAllen Monitor Spectrum News, Austin KXAN-TV, Austin:

Texas news organizations cover legislative efforts to strengthen Public Information Act2017-01-05T15:41:22-06:00

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