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Texas Public Information Act
The Texas Public Information Act is a series of laws incorporated into the Texas Government Code that serve to ensure the public has access to information held by the state government. The Act is analogous to the United States Freedom of Information Act which guarantees the accessibility of information held by Federal government agencies to the public. Description of Statute The Texas Public Information Act is a series of legislative acts that have been incorporated into the Texas Government Code in Title 5, Subchapter A Subtitle 552. The Act is intended to guarantee public access to governmental information in the interest of providing transparency in government. Several online resources, including the State Attorney General's website, provide information on how to make use of the Public Information Act to obtain State Government information and what procedures one should follow when making an information request. Notable Cases * In August, 2015, the State Fair of Texas was sa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Texas Government Code
The law of Texas is derived from the ''Constitution of Texas'' and consists of several levels, including constitutional, statutory, and regulatory law, as well as case law and local laws and regulations. Sources The Constitution of Texas is the foremost source of state law. Legislation is enacted by the Texas Legislature, published in the '' General and Special Laws'', and codified in the ''Texas Statutes''. State agencies publish regulations (sometimes called administrative law) in the '' Texas Register'', which are in turn codified in the '' Texas Administrative Code''. The Texas legal system is based on common law, which is interpreted by case law through the decisions of the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Courts of Appeals, which are published in the ''Texas Cases'' and ''South Western Reporter''. Counties and municipal governments may also promulgate local ordinances. Constitution The Constitution of Texas is the foundation of the government of Texa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freedom Of Information Act (United States)
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), , is the U.S. federal freedom of information law that requires the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased or uncirculated information and documents controlled by the United States government, state, or other public authority upon request. The act defines agency records subject to disclosure, outlines mandatory disclosure procedures, and includes nine exemptions that define categories of information not subject to disclosure. The act was intended to make U.S. government agencies' functions more transparent so that the American public could more easily identify problems in government functioning and put pressure on Congress, agency officials, and the president to address them. The FOIA has been changed repeatedly by both the legislative and executive branches. Apart from the U.S. federal government's Freedom of Information Act, the U.S. states have their own varying freedom of information laws. The Freedom of Information Act is c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation
Strategic lawsuits against public participation (also known as SLAPP suits or intimidation lawsuits), or strategic litigation against public participation, are lawsuits intended to censor, intimidate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition. In a typical SLAPP, the plaintiff does not normally expect to win the lawsuit. The plaintiff's goals are accomplished if the defendant succumbs to fear, intimidation, mounting legal costs, or simple exhaustion and abandons the criticism. In some cases, repeated frivolous litigation against a defendant may raise the cost of directors and officers liability insurance for that party, interfering with an organization's ability to operate. A SLAPP may also intimidate others from participating in the debate. A SLAPP is often preceded by a legal threat. SLAPPs bring about freedom of speech concerns due to their chilling effect and are often difficult to filter out and pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
