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If you agree with me that more transparency and democracy are needed at City Hall, and want an end to the rubber-stamping, enabling, and bullying, ***please VOTE on Election Day, this Saturday (if you didn't already vote early this month)*** for smart, selfless, and fearless City Council reps like Vicki Byrd (D1), Brian Beck (D2), and Alison Maguire (D4) who will fight for your right to information, do their homework, and advocate vocally for YOU, instead of quietly rubber-stamping an overreaching 6-figure-salaried City Attorney who sees the Free Press, the families of victims of local police brutality and DJT Justice Network, the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, and the councilmembers who communicate with and advocate for them as parties adverse to the interests of the City (see Denton Record-Chronicle article below).
Look up your Election Day voting location and sample ballot by entering your address here (Election Day voting locations are different than Early Voting locations): https://www.votedenton.gov/voter-lookup/
Vote like your local democracy and quality of life depend on it! Polls open 7am to 7pm.
https://www.facebook.com/dentonrc/posts/10158347082519366
Join TPPF, Rep. Gio Capriglione, Kelley Shannon – Executive Director, Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, and Donnis Baggett – Executive Vice President, this Thursday for a discussion on .
There's plenty of room for improvement, but TJI takes advantage of Texas' unique criminal justice reporting requirements and makes this data available to the public for free. Counting things actually matters, it's how we identify problems and find solutions.
We're diving into the data now, and will have more on KXAN News, as the state gives daily updates.
We've been asking for this data for months, but HHSC had previously argued state privacy laws prevented them from making it public. So, we've been tracking cases independently for you KXAN News.
Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas says this ruling is an important win for open government and transparency.
Elect Todd Hunter Giovanni Capriglione Texas Press Association Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas Texas Association of Broadcasters City of Corpus Christi - Government United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation
The non-profit FOIFT is a 501(c)3 that works to encourage, sponsor and facilitate a greater apprecia
07/12/2023
Kathleen McElroy is a superb journalist who cares about all Texans and their access to information. She's a longtime friend of the FOI Foundation of Texas. Read this:
Texas A&M recruited a UT professor to revive its journalism program, then backtracked after “DEI hysteria” The university celebrated its decision to hire Kathleen McElroy to revive its journalism program. She says she’s staying at UT after she felt judged because of her race and gender.
06/30/2023
A major court victory for the community of Uvalde and for transparency in Texas:
Judge says DPS must release documents related to Uvalde shooting response The state police agency had been withholding nearly all of its records on law enforcement’s botched response to Texas’ deadliest school shooting. DPS will have an opportunity to redact the files before they are released.
06/28/2023
Suspended Richardson psychiatrist also was a key figure in fight for transparency in courts The Supreme Court of Texas is revisiting Rule 76(a), which lays down rules for how court records can be sealed.
06/28/2023
Former Angelina County judge found guilty of violating open meetings act A former Angelina County judge has been found guilty of violating the open meetings act following his trial.
06/23/2023
Do you know someone who champions open government in Texas and the First Amendment right of free speech? If so, considering nominating them for the FOI Foundation's James Madison Award. The deadline is today! See details and the nomination form at:
James Madison Award Since 1987, the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has presented the James Madison Award to journalists, elected officials, academics, attorneys and vigilant citizens for outstanding achievements and distinction in open government and First Amendment rights in Texas. Award winners are recogn...
06/21/2023
Family's 6-year journey helps close 'dead suspect loophole' used by Texas police Watch the Capitol long enough and you might recognize the Dyers, accidental advocates...
06/20/2023
After four legislative sessions of working on it, a new state law will take effect closing a loophole in the Texas Public Information Act used by some police departments to withhold records when a person dies in custody. Thanks to Rep. Joe Moody of El Paso and all the lawmakers of both parties who helped to see it through to passage. Gov. Greg Abbott allowed House Bill 30 to become law without his signature as his veto period ended Sunday night.
Law closing police loophole in Public Information Act to take effect Sept. 1 By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas A loophole in the Texas Public Information Act that many law enforcement departments use to withhold records when someone dies in police custody will be closed with a new law taking effect Sept. 1. House Bill 30 by Rep.....
06/13/2023
Big news for the future of journalism in Texas:
Texas A&M has selected Kathleen McElroy '81 to lead the university's new journalism program.
McElroy, who brings more than 40 years of professional experience, will lead a renewed effort to prepare the next generation of Aggie journalists, forge collaborations and work to rebuild community confidence in the free press: tx.ag/CMJR61323
06/06/2023
‘It’s been done’: With lieutenant governor’s signature, ‘dead suspect’ bill sent for governor’s final review As the Senate prepared to reconvene for its special session work, those stakeholders were waiting to see if Patrick would sign the “dead suspect loophole” legislation overwhelmingly pas…
05/31/2023
https://foift.org/2023/05/29/texas-legislature-approves-open-government-bills-in-sessions-final-days/
Transparency measures win approval in Texas legislative session's final days. Read more at:
Texas Legislature approves open government bills in session's final days For Immediate Release May 29, 2023 Texas Legislature approves open government bills in session’s final days AUSTIN – Major transparency initiatives shoring up the Texas Public Information Act won approval in the state Legislature before the session’s final day Monday. The legislation now heads...
05/24/2023
Transparency bill containing TPIA improvements moves ahead in Texas Legislature By Kelley Shannon Executive Director FOI Foundation of Texas The Texas Senate has passed a major transparency bill that would protect the rights of information requestors and help ensure the Texas Public Information Act is carried out consistently statewide. House Bill 3033 by Rep. Brooks Landgraf,....
05/17/2023
Legislation pending at the Texas Capitol, House Bill 30 by Rep. Joe Moody, would close this public records loophole:
After a Soldier Died by Su***de, His Family Was Denied the Police Records. Texas Law Makes That Possible. Texas public records law allows officials to withhold police records if no one was convicted in a case. At least one city has used this rule to deny the release of su***de records. A new bill aims to close this loophole.
05/09/2023
Several major transparency measures have advanced in the Texas House and now move to the Senate. Read here about the progress of these bills, and contact your local senator to voice support and help ensure passage:
Transparency legislation makes progress in Texas House of Representatives By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas May 9, 2023 Transparency proposals supported by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and the diverse Texas Sunshine Coalition have progressed in the Texas House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan s...
05/09/2023
Congratulations to Brianna Chavez of Texas State University, recipient of the FOI Foundation's inaugural Ralph Langer Scholarship, a $6,000 award for the 2023-24 academic year. Mackenzie Matwick of UT-Austin is receiving a Langer scholarship of $1,500. Read more here about these amazing undergraduate journalism students:
FOI Foundation of Texas announces Ralph Langer Scholarship recipients For Immediate Release April 27, 2023 AUSTIN – The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has named Brianna Chavez, a journalism junior at Texas State University, as the recipient of the inaugural Ralph Langer Scholarship. Alongside her journalism studies, Chavez has worked as a life and arts r...
04/26/2023
Free speech protections are under threat in Texas Legislature The free speech of all Americans is protected by the First Amendment. But anyone who has ever spoken up against the powerful knows that freedom of speech isn’t ...
04/24/2023
https://foift.org/2023/04/24/protect-free-speech-dont-mess-with-texas-anti-slapp-law/
Protect free speech: Don't mess with Texas' anti-SLAPP law Protect free speech: Don't mess with Texas' anti-SLAPP law Guest Column By Will Creeley Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression When it comes to criticizing the powerful or politically connected, the First Amendment protects the little guy. No matter who you are or how much money you have in...
04/13/2023
https://www.kxan.com/investigations/dead-suspect-loophole-bill-gets-hearing-after-uvalde/
‘Dead suspect loophole’ bill gets hearing after Uvalde Nearly a year after 19 elementary school students and two teachers were murdered in Uvalde — followed by a steady stream of incorrect and incomplete information released to the public —…
04/06/2023
House Committee hears Texas Sunshine Coalition's searchable-sortable records bill The Texas House Committee on State Affairs heard testimony Wednesday in support of legislation that would ensure requestors can obtain public information in spreadsheet format, if it's stored that way. House Bill 2493 by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, is one of several transparency bills th...
03/30/2023
https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-observer-no-layoffs-remains-open-board-vote/
We Did It, Y'all! Texas Observer Will Remain Open! "Thanks to the extraordinary success of the staff’s fundraising this week," the publication's board of directors voted to rescind layoffs and shutdown.
03/27/2023
https://foift.org/2023/03/10/transparency-legislation-at-the-texas-capitol-a-bipartisan-effort/
Transparency legislation at the Texas Capitol a bipartisan effort By Kelley Shannon To witness bipartisanship at the Texas Capitol, look to the lawmakers who are working to improve open government laws. Legislators from both political parties are igniting interest in transparency and creating the opportunity for all lawmakers to protect the people’s right to kno...
03/27/2023
Texas Observer, legendary crusading liberal magazine, is closing and laying off its staff The 68-year-old progressive publication, which published Ronnie Dugger, Molly Ivins and Kaye Northcott, hit financial troubles and wasn’t able to broaden its audience, board members said.
03/02/2023
ProJourn, a project of the Reporter's Committee for Freedom of the Press, is holding an online workshop on FOIA and other open records laws on March 7. Here's a link with more information:
02/22/2023
Please spread the word: We extended the deadline to apply for the FOIFT's Joel White Scholarship for law school students in Texas. This $1,000 scholarship is for the 2023-24 academic year. New deadline is this Friday, Feb. 24. See submission details at
Joel White Scholarship The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has created the Joel White Memorial Scholarship for law school students in honor of the late First Amendment attorney Joel White. White was a former president of the FOI Foundation of Texas board and a longtime champion for free speech, free press and o...
02/01/2023
Texas Public Information Act’s 50th anniversary an excellent time to strengthen the landmark law By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas Fifty years ago, responding to public demand in an era of reform, Texas enacted a sweeping law ensuring the people’s right to know about their government. The Texas Public Information Act – originally known as the Op...
01/23/2023
Attention journalism and photojournalism undergrads and law students in Texas: The FOI Foundation of Texas offers two super scholarships - the new Ralph Langer Scholarship for undergrads and the Joel White Scholarship for law students interested in First Amendment law. See details on our website. Application deadline is Feb. 10 for the 2023-24 academic year. Details at https://foift.org/activities-programs/ralph-langer-scholarship/ and https://foift.org/activities-programs/joel-white-scholarship/
Joel White Scholarship The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has created the Joel White Memorial Scholarship for law school students in honor of the late First Amendment attorney Joel White. White was a former president of the FOI Foundation of Texas board and a longtime champion for free speech, free press and o...
01/17/2023
This case exemplifies ongoing problems with government contracting transparency. The University of Texas and other governments in Texas are refusing to immediately release "super public" information, as intended in a 2019 law, and are deferring to private companies to say what should or shouldn't be provided to the public.
University of Texas releases NIL contract after open records fight UT lost a battle to keep its NIL service contract secret
12/29/2022
At the FOI Foundation of Texas we are pressing for access to public records and meetings and working to educate everyone about open government. In 2023, we must protect and improve state transparency laws. It's a bipartisan issue. Open government benefits us all! Please support our FOIFT mission with a year-end tax-deductible contribution today:
I just donated to Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. Do the same! This is a great cause! Join me in my efforts to support them. Donate Now!
12/14/2022
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked DPS for a list of everyone who changed their s*x on state documents in the past two years, according to a report Wednesday in The Washington Post. When asked for records about request, Paxton's office said none existed.
Texas attorney general’s office sought state data on transgender Texans The effort to obtain data came as Attorney General Ken Paxton, Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders have marshaled resources against transgender Texans.
12/01/2022
Texas lawmakers signed NDAs to quietly obtain Uvalde shooting case file. What do they know? Texas law allows lawmakers to obtain confidential files in the Uvalde shooting, raising questions about what they know and what they are not sharing.
10/26/2022
A very thorough report from the Carnegie-Knight News21 student reporting program.
Policymakers, activists and nonprofits lead way to bring more transparency to police departments The call to increase transparency has become a standard rallying cry in police reform, but efforts have met with resistance. Some states, cities and police departments have made progress to open records. And sometimes, outside forces have stepped in when they don’t.
10/07/2022
Check out these videos from our super FOI Foundation of Texas state conference Sept. 29. Great discussions of open government and First Amendment rights with our expert panelists and attendees:
VIDEOS: FOIFT State Conference 2022 The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas state conference Sept. 29, 2022, in Austin featured expert panelists and lively discussions. Watch videos from the conference sessions and luncheon program by clicking the links below. Session 1: The First Amendment and public schools: Today’s challen...
09/29/2022
Congratulations to KXAN and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, winners of the 2022 Spirit of FOI Awards for their important accountability reporting!
KXAN and Corpus Christi Caller-Times win 2022 Spirit of FOI Awards For Immediate Release Sept. 29, 2022 KXAN and Corpus Christi Caller-Times win 2022 Spirit of FOI Awards AUSTIN – Two Texas news organizations that scrutinized government programs using transparency laws and in-depth analysis have won this year’s Spirit of FOI Awards presented by the Freedom of I...
09/19/2022
FOI Column: Times of trouble remind us Texas open government laws are here for everyone By Kelley Shannon Across the state, Texans are keeping a closer eye on their government. They’re asking questions and demanding information. There’s a renewed awareness of our transparency laws. Times of trouble can remind us all that the people have a right to know, and Texas certainly has been...
08/30/2022
Ross Ramsey, a Texas journalist for more than 40 years and longtime champion of the people’s right to know, will be honored with the prestigious James Madison Award. The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas bestows the award on those who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the principles of the First Amendment and open government. The foundation will present the award at its state conference Sept. 29 in Austin.
Read more at:
Veteran journalist and FOI proponent Ross Ramsey to receive James Madison Award FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 30, 2022 Veteran journalist and FOI proponent Ross Ramsey to receive James Madison Award AUSTIN – Ross Ramsey, a Texas journalist for more than 40 years and longtime champion of the people’s right to know, will be honored with the prestigious James Madison Award. The F...
08/26/2022
Transparency issues surrounding the Uvalde mass shooting, First Amendment rights in school libraries and journalism classrooms and news leaders’ and legislators’ views on the current open government landscape. These topics are the focus of the upcoming FOI Foundation state conference, “New Takes on Texas Transparency.” The event will be Thursday, Sept. 29, at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center, 1900 University Ave., in Austin. Individual tickets and sponsorships are available for purchase online at www.foift.org. Discounted hotel rooms can be reserved for the night of Sept. 28. (The cutoff date for the conference hotel room rate is Monday, Aug. 29, after which pricing is based on availability.)
Speakers include state Rep. Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi; Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas; Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE; Sewell Chan of the Texas Tribune, Katrice Hardy of The Dallas Morning News; Corrie MacLaggan of The Texas Newsroom public radio collaboration; Shirley Robinson of the Texas Library Association; David Doerr of New Voices Texas; Lauren McGaughy of The Dallas Morning News; and more.
Make plans to register and join us at the conference in September!
https://foift.org/activities-programs/events/
Annual Conference The Bernard and Audre Rapoport Annual Conference in Austin brings together journalists, government leaders, attorneys and interested citizens to delve into the current issues of government transparency and free speech. We honor FOI heroes with the James Madison Award and outstanding journalism with....
08/02/2022
Coalition of news organizations sues Texas Department of Public Safety over withheld records on Uvalde shooting The lawsuit alleges that the state police have unlawfully withheld records, including body camera footage and emergency communications, during the Robb Elementary shooting.
07/26/2022
Bexar County, city of Elmendorf fight to keep body cam footage of police killing secret TPR is seeking answers in the 2020 killing of Jesus Garcia. His death prompted a grand jury indictment of a Bexar County Sheriff's Deputy.
07/17/2022
Newsrooms across the country are waiting on the Texas attorney general's office to decide if records that could reveal crucial information about law enforcement's botched response to the Uvalde school shooting should be released. But if the office's track record with such cases is any indication, there could be little chance that many of the records will be released any time soon, the Austin American-Statesman reports.
As Uvalde questions mount, AG Ken Paxton's office weighs whether to keep records secret The Open Records Division of the Ken Paxton's office has ruled against disclosure of public records in half of the 18,000 cases this year.
07/13/2022
The Uvalde mass shooting at Robb Elementary School happened on May 24, seven weeks ago. Here is the video from the tragedy for transparency and a column by Austin American-Statesman editor Manny Garcia on why his newspaper and KVUE decided to publish the footage. Authorities could have easily released it already, Garcia notes. Warning: Some may find the footage disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
Why the Austin American-Statesman chose to publish video from inside Robb Elementary Our decision to publish the video from Uvalde comes after long and thoughtful discussions about the video and it's content.
07/01/2022
Holding a "public" meeting in a place inaccessible to the public is not allowed under the Texas Open Meetings Act. And here's another common-sense tip for public officials: Locking citizens out of their government building and making them wait outside in 100-degree heat is not safe and certainly not a good look!
Tarrant Appraisal District Board violated open meetings act by locking doors, attorney says Fact-based local journalism that helps Fort Worth and Tarrant County residents make smart decisions about their government and their lives.
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