To journalists, the Freedom of Information Act is an important tool, one that allows us access to information on how governments at any level are operating and how they are
Commentary: Disasters beg for more government transparency
Kelley Shannon, For the Express-News
March 16, 2021
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Virtual meetings allowed under the Texas Open Meetings Act have worked well for many offices during the pandemic. Bills before the Legislature would address government meetings that don’t accommodate people without home internet.Steve Helber /Associated Press
With state lawmakers immersed in the COVID-19 pandemic response and Texas’ electricity failures, the public’s access to information must be at the forefront of the Legislature’s actions. Information allows the public to watch over their government, speak out and ask questions.
There’s no better time than Sunshine Week, which started Sunday, to emphasize the importance of the people’s right to know.
Don’t Let the Pandemic (or the Freeze) Cloud Sunshine Week
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Video from a Jan. 5 officer-involved shooting won’t be made public until April, the Austin police say, because on top of everything else, it got cold in Texas in February.
According to a police statement, “due to recent city of Austin weather-related closures, APD will not be releasing the video during the initial 60-day timeframe.”
Last year was a bad one for the Texas Public Information Act and other government accountability (“sunshine”) laws. And 2021 isn’t starting off so well, either. Numerous government agencies cited the pandemic as an excuse to delay public information requests.
Acquiring KPD officers body cam footage difficult kdhnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kdhnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The nonprofit corporation is asking Ken Paxton’s office for permission to ignore requests seeking information on the costliest winter storm in the state’s history.