Texas Open Records
Texas laws and court cases
How to file an open records request in Texas
Texas Open Records Statute
Open Government Guide to Texas Open Records legislation by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Texas mandates government staff training on how to respond to public records requests--take a look.
E-open records request information
Letter Generator
Generate an open records request that conforms to Texas requirements
Exemptions
Document types exempted from public access.
State Salary Database
The Houston Chronicle has complied searchable databases of 2008 Texas state employee salaries and Houston public employee salaries in 2007, and News 4 has provided school superintendent salaries across the state for 2007-2008.
To see what other states have salary databases, click here.
Texas contacts (where to file your request)
Some (but not all) Texas County Clerks
Link for Texas School Superintendent contact information.
Sunshine Troublemaker of the Week
Texas resident Dianna Pharr received the coveted STOTW award the week of July 23, 2007. Read all about it, and see what other states have citizens that have earned the award, here.
Sunshine Activist Interview
Texas citizens Joey Dauben, Dianna Pharr and Susan Bushart have been interviewed for their work with open records. Read their interviews, and those from other Sunshine Activists, here.
Blogs, websites and resources that use open records
Americans for Prosperity
Citizen Watchdog
College Watch
Corpus Christi Independent School District watchblog
CyFair Citizens
Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog
DFW Regional Concerned Citizens
Ellis County Observer
Freedom of Information Foundation Texas
Grits for Breakfast
Katy Citizens Watchdog
Keep Eanes Informed
Lovejoy Independent School District Accountability
The Muckraker: Shines a Light on the Dark Corners of Special Interest Boondoggles
Odessa Citizen Watchdogs "Barking on Your Behalf"
Open Records Network
Peyton Wolcott Peyton takes on "Big Ed" with frequent use of FOIA requests.
Political Junkie - The Purge
Red Ink: Texas
Texas Working Group on Fiscal Accountability
Wilmer Public Citizen
Press
Head to Sunshine Review for the most recent open record updates in Texas.
2008
October 13, 2008: Cash: Secrecy threatens state pensions
October 11, 2008: Sheriff Fighting Request For Detailed Jail Plans
October 6, 2008: McAllen files rare open records suit against Abbott
September 30, 2008: Some DA records could be public
September 18, 2008: City of McAllen sues Texas AG to block records request
September 11, 2008: Former county judge claims no possession
September 8, 2008: Candidate says there are problems at sheriff’s office, Jernigan says 'no'
September 5, 2008: Fate of hard drives in question
August 23, 2008: BISD withholds public records on bond expenditures, contracts
August 20, 2008: PEC Board implements open meetings, records policy
August 20, 2008: Freeport Council says board will be more open
August 19, 2008: PEC reveals more details about secret account
August 19, 2008: News 4 Investigates School Leaders' Salaries
August 18, 2008: DPS appeals ruling over records access
August 14, 2008: Auditor getting second opinion
August 14, 2008: Texas Lottery Commission paid almost $100,000 to settle ex-worker's suit
August 11, 2008: Law enforcement group calls for investigations into county officials’ dealings with a private jail company
August 10, 2008: Bedford citizen watchdog says she's scaling back
August 8, 2008: Beshear spent almost $86,000 during trip to Japan
August 8, 2008: Hallsville ISD to purchase $2.6M of land for new campuses
August 7, 2008: Apartment Association claims city, PSB ignored records request
August 6, 2008: A Free Press and Open Courts
August 6, 2008: Commissioners split on outside legal help
August 1, 2008: Texas newspapers in court over DPS records
July 26, 2008: School campaign reports offline
July 26, 2008: DISD seeks public opinions on trustee ethics
July 24, 2008: TxDOT resists requests for wreck data
July 8, 2008: EDITORIAL: Government's decision allows public to know what state withheld regarding DaVita Lufkin Dialsyis clinic
July 1, 2008: Katy school board shouldn't even think of limiting people's access to school records.
June 30, 2008: Angelina county auditor investigating seizure of funds discrepancies
June 29, 2008: Official's e-mails freely available -- in theory
June 26, 2008: Teachers' association files lawsuit over privacy
June 24, 2008: DPS tries to deny open records video request
June 23, 2008: Katy board changes mind on records law
June 21, 2008: COVER UP at Vidor ISD
June 21, 2008: Editorial: TCEQ should hand over records
June 18, 2008: Secret Government? Shapleigh Says TCEQ Attempting to Hide Collusion With Industry
June 14, 2008: Cost of raid on polygamist camp tops $14 million
June 10, 2008: AISD opposes open records requests
June 6, 2008: TCEQ records: Agency shouldn't block access
June 4, 2008: AG Orders Release Of Bardwell Public Records: Gentry Refuses; Lawsuit To Be Filed By ECP On Behalf Of Citizens
June 4, 2008: TCEQ sues to stymie Asarco records request
June 3, 2008: Governor's e-mail deletion rules raise concern
May 29, 2008: Open records lawyer wants governor's e-mail shredding ended
May 22, 2008: City shrouds anti-bias ordinance in secrecy
May 20, 2008: State report: DaVita clinic did not have proper number of trained personnel
May 13, 2008: Visitor Center Opponent Not Receiving Open Records
May 12, 2008: DA to release contested files
May 2, 2008: Councilman Says He Jumped Through Hoops to Get Public Information
May 2, 2008: Former Cove mayor requests council e-mails
April 16, 2008: Travis County won't look into Perry e-mail rule complaint
April 6, 2008: Farmers Branch seeks change in state's open meetings law
April 4, 2008: FBI uses FOIA to gain information on school districts
March 24, 2008: Open-record requests can take time, money
March 23, 2008: Views on openness revealed in survey
March 18, 2008: District attorney: no criminal violations in Garrett traffic stop; records opened
March 18, 2008: Open records eroded by silence of lambs
March 17, 2008: Sunshine Week celebrates open records
March 17, 2008: Statesman journalists depend on open government
March 17, 2008: Some top 2007 stories written with the help of open records requests
March 16, 2008: Mission in apparent violation of Open Records Act
March 14, 2008: Telegram files request for TISD superintendent candidate names
March 7, 2008: Judge to consider if deleted e-mails are public record
February 21, 2008: City denies open records request
February 15, 2008: Public Records Requests Taxing City of Prosser
February 15, 2008: Tricky charges for public record calls
Februaruy 13, 2008: School could charge for open-records requests
February 5, 2008: City refers records request to AG
February 3, 2008: Cleveland uses school law firm for divorce
January 27, 2008: Gov. Perry's e-mail thorn comes in form of Wisconsin man
January 23, 2008: Governor's office e-mail 'candid,' revealing
January 23, 2008: SFA releases Jeter resignation documents
January 23, 2008: Governor's office e-mail 'candid,' revealing
January 23, 2008: SFA must release Jeter documents
January 23, 2008: Legality of Easton meeting questioned
January 19, 2008: Intensity level raised in GOP commission race
January 17, 2008: Sheriff's office e-mail purge catches some deputies off guard
January 17, 2008: Dallas Morning News wins open-records case tied to Texas employees' birth dates
January 11, 2008: Hospital District Board details open records, complaint procedures
January 8, 2008: Beaumont decides today whether to challenge AG on records release
2007
November 30, 2007: Battle rages with governor's office over e-mail retention, cost
November 29, 2007: TWC seeks open records ruling over recent contracts
November 27, 2007: Perry will share his e-mails, send a bill
November 23, 2007: Tyler filing appeal against ruling on open records
November 14, 2007: Bush e-mail policy still the rule in governor's office
November 14, 2007: Not all government officials treat e-mail records same way
November 10, 2007: Purging of Perry e-mail is blocked
November 9, 2007: Keep Records Open
November 7, 2007: Dallas judge's ruling is a victory for open records
October 29, 2007: Ruling: Dallas officials' e-mails must be turned over
October 28, 2007: Government must respect your right to know
October 24, 2007: Recorded votes, bond proposals on Nov. 6 ballot
September 29, 2007: UT Medical Branch resisting open-records ruling
September 24, 2007: Appeals court ruling keeps public in dark
September 22, 2007: Jaime Castillo: BexarMet may be withholding information on sidewalk pacts
September 20, 2007: Recorded votes proposal highlighted at open government meeting
September 19, 2007: Keeping government open is an endless job (Editorial)
September 7, 2007: Mayor to release more e-mails, consult with AG's office on others
September 6, 2007: UNT will no longer disclose names of donors
September 4, 2007: Government developing new ways to hide records
September 1, 2007: Court records: Online access great benefit
August 28, 2007: Texas AG says El Paso can post court records online, charge a fee
August 28, 2007: Councilwoman trashes public document in note-passing incident
August 26, 2007: Steve Tyler wants to know why letters about cases were made public
August 26, 2007: Driscoll gets reputation for poor public record keeping
July 29, 2007: AG limits available venue information
July 27, 2007: Abbott agrees HISD booster records are not public
June 24, 2007: UTT Students Survey FOI Compliance In East Texas
June 20, 2007: College officials admitted the board members had not undergone required training on the Open Records Act
June 13, 2007: A local organization said it will file an open records request today to find out information on police brutality in Midland
June 10, 2007: Open records not always easy to unlock
June 7, 2007: Open records law leads to abuses
June 5, 2007: Bills give public the right to know a little less
June 4, 2007: Open records suffered a beating
May 24, 2007: Roddy Stinson: In wake of lawsuit, PEC officials continue their deafening silence
Jennifer LaFleur of the Dallas Morning News provides a list of open records resources in Texas
A push against open records an analysis by Christy Hoppe / The Dallas Morning News
Higher Ed Performance Evaluations Kept Secret? by Mark Lisheron, May 8, 2007
Want to add to or edit this page?
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.