texas transparency – National Freedom of Information Coalition

Improved website good start toward more open government

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Announcements by perennial candidates like Don Stenberg are always suspect, but the state treasurer’s release touting Nebraska’s top 10 ranking for providing online access to government spending data could be a game changer, provided taxpayer advocates and proponents of responsible government use it correctly.

The NebraskaSpending.gov website, maintained by Stenberg’s office, received a B+ rating in 2013, up from a D in 2010, a C in 2011 and a B in 2012.

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State employee recognized for First Amendment defense

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From Baylor Lariat:

Difficulties in getting information from government sources shouldn’t scare reporters off from following their stories, Hadassah Schloss, Cost Rules Administrator for the Open Records Division of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, told students at Baylor’s journalism awards banquet Tuesday.

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Open Meetings Act meant to ensure full disclosure

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From MyWestTexas.com:

We have been disappointed in the 15 city leaders who have challenged the Texas Open Meetings Act in court since 2009. We think this is an effort to protect elected officials from doing the public’s business in the open.

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Adkisson blames ‘Express’ for open records skirmish

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From San Antonio Current:

"I'm not inclined to be stepped on or stomped," Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson said this week, discussing his effort to keep emails from a private account in which he discusses official county business hidden.

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Missing, altered documents raise questions for auditors looking at Houston school district

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From Texas Watchdog:

Some documents went missing, and others were removed, altered and returned to the file for a contract with eight firms including Westco Ventures LLC — a company owned by a close friend of Trustee Paula Harris– an audit of the Houston schools procurement practices found.

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Sinton ISD sues city over wind turbine project, cites open meeting violations

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From Caller.com:

The Sinton Independent School District has sued the city of Sinton over plans to install two wind turbines at the high school campus.

The lawsuit, filed Monday, asks a state district judge for an injunction allowing the turbine project to move forward.

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Records used in other states to uncover cheating on tests not open in Texas

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From Watchdog.org:

While other states are finding evidence of school test score manipulation, the Texas Education Agency has managed to quash open records requests that would allow the public to investigate such a thing in this state.

In two recent open records requests, the TEA has successfully argued that the information that would make an investigation possible is not a public record.

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Bexar County commissioner presents legal arguments challenging records request for emails

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From Watchdog.org:

Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson has presented his initial legal argument in a fight to keep emails from his personal account private, even though he acknowledges he was discussing public business through those emails.

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Halliburton wins praise from open-government groups for commitment to political disclosure

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From The Houston Chronicle

This is news: Halliburton is being praised — yes, praised! — by political watchdog groups. The Houston-based multinational corporation, which has been blasted for a decade by liberals and good government groups for its close ties to the White House and the Pentagon, is now being held up as a model of openness.

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