Texas Supreme Court

Legislative Update: 2017 session

2022-04-13T14:39:06-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUSTIN — Major open government proposals to enhance the public’s right to know failed to pass the Texas Legislature this year in a disappointing anti-transparency display during the final days of the session. Fortunately, open government advocates worked to block several bills that could have hindered the free flow of information. And, under resolutions approved by the House and Senate, lawmakers will study ways to improve the Texas Public Information Act before the 2019 session. The non-profit Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas joined the Texas Press Association, the Texas Association of Broadcasters and other groups and lawmakers [...]

Legislative Update: 2017 session2022-04-13T14:39:06-05:00

Shifting more state functions to non-profits raises transparency questions

2017-05-24T17:27:09-05:00

By Mike Ward Houston Chronicle Originally published May 23, 2017 AUSTIN - In February, when Land Commissioner George P. Bush testified before a Texas House subcommittee about the details of a private nonprofit organization's management of the treasured Alamo, he assured lawmakers and the public that their business would comply with transparency laws that allow the public to know what's going on. Weeks later, though, his own agency declined to make public meeting minutes and other operational details about the Alamo Endowment and the Alamo Complex Management Company. The reason: "The Endowment and the ACM are GLO contractors, not governmental entities," [...]

Shifting more state functions to non-profits raises transparency questions2017-05-24T17:27:09-05:00

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

Some Texas lawmakers want to close open records loophole

2017-03-01T14:05:44-06:00

By Nicole Cobler San Antonio Express-News Originally published Feb. 28, 2017 Some state lawmakers are aiming to close an open records loophole in light of a 2015 Texas Supreme court ruling that allows governments to withhold records turned over to agencies by businesses. Lawmakers debated a slew of open records legislation in a Senate hearing Tuesday, including Sen. Kirk Watson’s bill that responds to the 2015 Boeing ruling by the state’s highest court, which blocked the release of some details of a lease between the Boeing Co. and the Port Authority of San Antonio because the aerospace manufacturer said making the [...]

Some Texas lawmakers want to close open records loophole2017-03-01T14:05:44-06:00

Senate committee hears Boeing, Greater Houston Partnership repair bills

2017-02-28T19:48:29-06:00

AUSTIN - Witnesses who support repairing the Texas Public Information Act and boosting citizens' access to records showing how taxpayer money is spent urged a state Senate committee Tuesday to rework parts of the act. Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, in a hearing before the Senate Business and Commerce Committee, presented legislation that would strengthen the Public Information Act. Senate Bill 407 and Senate Bill 408, respectively, would undo two Texas Supreme Court decisions in 2015 known as the Boeing and the Greater Houston Partnership rulings. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas is supporting the two bills as part of its major [...]

Senate committee hears Boeing, Greater Houston Partnership repair bills2017-02-28T19:48:29-06:00

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    Kelley Shannon, Executive Director
    3001 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 302
    Austin, Texas 78705

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