Texas Public Information Act

Light of Day Project: Tarleton student service fee totals top $3.3 million

FOIFT2014-08-21T15:43:35-05:00

By Rachel Peoples Texan News Service Originally published Aug. 14, 2014 The average Tarleton student just finished paying around $1,400 in fees for the upcoming semester. Though students are used to shelling out hundreds of dollars each semester to pay for library fees, parking and the like, most probably don’t know where that money goes. Texan News Service decided to trace the trail and we started with the Student Service Fee, which, records show, took in some $3.3 million in 2013. We wanted to know where students’ money goes – not just the organization that spent it, but how and where [...]

Light of Day Project: Tarleton student service fee totals top $3.3 millionFOIFT2014-08-21T15:43:35-05:00

Watchdog column: Is DART stalling on records request?

FOIFT2014-08-08T14:22:38-05:00

By Dave Lieber The Dallas Morning News Originally published Aug. 7, 2014 Let’s pretend today that I run my own court. Watchdog Nation’s Court of Open Government. We pretend to prosecute governments who we think violate the spirit of the Texas Public Information Act. (Hey, somebody has to, because in real life it almost never happens.) You play judge. Today I unseal a four-count pretend indictment for obstruction of release of public records against Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Yep, I’m throwing a dart at DART. Opening statement Last year, I filed an open records request seeking copies of public complaints about [...]

Watchdog column: Is DART stalling on records request?FOIFT2014-08-08T14:22:38-05:00

Change in sheriff’s public information policy poses access problems

FOIFT2014-07-22T14:31:11-05:00

By Karen Antonacci The Monitor Originally published July 20, 2014 When the story of an appeals court judge arrested July 12 after failing a sobriety test broke later that afternoon, local media ran with the only photo they had of her — a coiffed glamour shot that graced her 2012 campaign signs. Nora Lydia Longoria, who was elected in 2012 to the 13th Court of Appeals, where she serves a 20-county area with four other justices, looks much different in her mug shot —tired with bloodshot eyes. The picture was included in a news release the McAllen police department issued Monday [...]

Change in sheriff’s public information policy poses access problemsFOIFT2014-07-22T14:31:11-05:00

Temple Daily Telegram, Alvin Sun receive Spirit of FOI Award

FOIFT2014-06-21T19:46:30-05:00

CORPUS CHRISTI _ Two Texas newspapers have received the annual Spirit of FOI Award for their extensive work using and examining the state’s open records laws. The Nancy Monson Spirit of FOI Award, presented by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and the Texas Press Association, was given Saturday to the Temple Daily Telegram among Class AA, or mid-sized newspapers, and to the Alvin Sun among Class A, or small, newspapers. There were no entries in the largest size category. The annual award honors journalists and news organizations for outstanding efforts that uphold First Amendment principles and promote freedom of [...]

Temple Daily Telegram, Alvin Sun receive Spirit of FOI AwardFOIFT2014-06-21T19:46:30-05:00

Commentary: Know Texas’ open records laws

FOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:47-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Guest Columnist The Monitor Originally published June 9, 2014 Picture yourself attending a local government meeting because you’re curious about the hiring of a new city manager. Suddenly, city commissioners go into a closed-door session to talk secretly. Can they do that? Is it legal? Or, let’s say, you’ve requested information from your school district about its classroom curriculum. You are told obtaining those documents will cost hundreds of dollars. What can you do? Conversely, if you are a public official, what does the law allow you to charge for a large and time-consuming public records request? These [...]

Commentary: Know Texas’ open records lawsFOIFT2022-03-31T17:08:47-05:00

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