Texas Public Information Act

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

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Reveal the drug supplier for executions

2014-12-15T16:23:00-06:00

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Opinion/Editorials Staff Originally published Dec. 12, 2014 When the state administers its ultimate punishment, the death penalty, the process ought to be as transparent as possible. That includes knowing the type of drugs used in lethal injections, and which pharmaceutical companies supply them to the state. Until last year, the suppliers’ names were known, and Attorney General Greg Abbott consistently ruled that such information had to be revealed under the public’s right to know. After several pharmaceutical companies, mainly in Europe, halted their sales of drugs for executions, Texas and other states turned to compounding pharmacies to supply [...]

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Reveal the drug supplier for executions2014-12-15T16:23:00-06:00

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

Terrell Tribune: AG rules city violated Public Information Act

2014-11-19T16:29:19-06:00

By Gary Lindsley The Terrell Tribune Originally published Nov. 18, 2014 Governmental bodies throughout the country, day in and day out, violate their respective state’s open meetings and open records laws. The city of Terrell is no different, and for that matter, may not be any worse. But any way you look at it, when community members or media representatives ask governmental bodies for information, those governmental bodies may not simply choose to ignore the requests. But Terrell officials have done that very thing, not once, but twice this year. And Bob Winchester has taken them to task for it. The [...]

Terrell Tribune: AG rules city violated Public Information Act2014-11-19T16:29:19-06:00

Beaumont Enterprise: City undermines public confidence in Leger shooting case

2014-11-17T15:27:39-06:00

By Enterprise Editorial Staff Beaumont Enterprise Originally published Nov. 16, 2014 As Beaumont residents watch the ongoing dispute between the city government and the Leger family, they aren't seeing a public commitment to openness, accountability or community policing. Instead they are seeing a City Council and police department that are giving them reason, once again, to lose confidence in the once-troubled BPD. In response to requests for information about their actions in the June 24 shooting of Stanley Leger, police have released only the minimum amount required by law, leaving growing questions about what they are hiding and why. Last month the city asked [...]

Beaumont Enterprise: City undermines public confidence in Leger shooting case2014-11-17T15:27:39-06:00

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