One of the most important laws regarding government transparency in Texas is the Public Information Act. It grants members of the public the right to request government records, as long as the records are not confidential. All government entities must comply with this...
Texas Public Information Act
The Texas Public Information Act
Under the Texas Public Information Act, Section 552 of the Texas Government Code, all governmental bodies must adhere to strict disclosure rules. That means if a member of the public, including the press/media, asks for information, the request must be handled...
What is the difference between a town being incorporated or unincorporated?
When it comes to municipalities, not everyone understands the difference between a town or area being incorporated or unincorporated. So, what's the difference? The three types of general law municipalities Towns (larger than villages and smaller than cities) are...
Is access to public information being deliberately slowed in Texas?
Though Gov. Gregg Abbott has declared that Texas is 100 percent open and functioning “without any restrictions or limitations or requirements,” not everyone is convinced. Various news sources report that there has been delayed access to public records via the Texas...
Texas cities looking at monetizing data to generate new revenue
It’s commonplace for city governments eager to serve constituents to face funding challenges. But the extraordinary challenges presented by a year-plus of pandemic are compelling cities to look for new revenue streams to meet today’s and tomorrow’s needs. The North...
Explainer: the Texas Public Information Act
Residents of your town, city or county will have a variety of reasons to ask for information from governmental bodies. Whatever their reasons, the Texas Public Information Act “gives the public the right to request access to government information,” writes Ken Paxton,...
Withholding information from a public request
Under the Texas Public Information Act, all governmental bodies must adhere to strict disclosure rules. That means if a member of the public asks for information that is considered public, you generally must provide it according to the regulations. What if, as a...
