The actions of city councils affect the lives of thousands – sometimes millions – of people. The Texas Open Meetings Act ensures that members of the public have access to municipal meetings. This provides transparency that is critical for local democracies. However,...
The Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) allows members of the public who wish to address their local government to add items to the official meeting agenda. This is a positive way to involve residents in their local governments' decisions. Still, it can add too many issues...
The Texas Open Meetings Act regulates the open communication between members of the public and members of a governing body in Texas. This law affects government meetings that involve the discussion of public business. There are specific rules that require most public...
Recently community members and activists in Texas and in other states such as California have questioned whether the three-minute rule at public hearings is a violation of their First Amendment right. Currently residents are allowed to voice their concerns and...
School board meetings used to be known for meetings as long and dry as a summer in the West Texas region of Trans-Pecos. Instead, some school board meetings lately are as filled with thunder and lightning as an Upper Coast rainy season. The cause of the fireworks:...
In the 21st century, school board business can take place in several ways: in in-person meetings, virtual meetings and electronic communications. Recently, a Dallas area school board president got into trouble though by possibly violating Texas open meeting rules...
