Freedom of information forums planned

[ganpat1956]

What information should a government agency release to the public and what information is exempt?

How much can an agency charge for the information it provides? When should a city council go into executive session and what should be posted on the agenda before it does so?

Presenters from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and the Office of the Attorney General will answer these questions and more at the FOIFT’s upcoming Responsible Rights seminars series held in Dallas and Midland.

Responsible Rights: Government in the Sunshine is a traveling symposium designed to develop and enhance understanding of the changing landscape of open government. It is directed toward the general public, elected officials, government employees and representatives of the media. The course materials have been approved by the Office of the Attorney General as meeting the requirements for open government training for public officials.

The seminars will be presented on the following dates: Oct. 23 at the Center for Community Cooperation in Dallas and Nov. 1 at First United Methodist Church in Midland.

Scheduled presenters include Joe Larsen, partner with Ogden, Gibson, Broocks and Longoria LLP; Taline Manassian, special counsel with Sedgwick, Detert, Moran and Arnold LLP; Don Richards, partner with Richards and Elder LLP; Hadassah Schloss, cost rules administrator for the Open Records Division of the Office of the Texas Attorney General; Paul C. Watler, partner with Jackson Walker LLP; and Tom Williams, partner with Haynes and Boone LLP.

The seminars will be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Each seminar is divided into two sections: the Texas Public Information Act in the morning and Texas Open Meetings Act in the afternoon.

The fee is $65 for the full day, including lunch; $40 for the morning sessions only, 9-11:45 a.m.; and $35 for the afternoon session only, 1-3 p.m.

Full-day registration also includes a one-year membership to the FOIFT, which includes a subscription to FOI Focus and online access to the FOIFT Handbook. Advance registration is required due to limited space. Registration is available on the FOIFT Web site, FOIFT.org - The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas or by contacting the FOIFT office at (214) 977-6658.

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, works to encourage, sponsor and facilitate a greater appreciation, knowledge and understanding of the First Amendment. The FOIFT strives to preserve the freedoms necessary in a democratic republic by educating media and legal professionals, educators, students, public and government officials.

Waxahachie Daily Light - News - Freedom of information forums planned

[smnislam]

ganpatiji why cant we start awreness and freedom forums in our country itself

[ganpat1956]

Dear Shri smnislam,

Don't you consider our own portal as a pioneer in this area in spreading the awareness? Even in a place like US where the FOI laws were introduced much earlier, they still need to conduct such seminars among citizens to improve the awareness. For the momentum to pick up in a massive way in our country, we need more dedicated individuals to conduct such campaigns and a little more time span for their activities to fructify.

[abhijeet]

Unfortunately, the APSIC throws out cases on the flimsiest of grounds
This portal is really sincerely engaged for the awareness with respect to RTI in India. But how and when the PIOs and SIC would take their initiative to act according to the RTI Act properly ?

I submitted at least half a dozen of applications to two PIOs , but even after 5 months no information received from them , though I sent 1st & 2nd appeals as per RTI Act. Even in three case the SIC requested the concerned PIOs to give comments/views at their earliest. In one case it was told to provide comments within 15 days. Now it is more than 30 days after SIC’s request – but I am yet to receive any comments. I don’t know why the Hon’ble SIC had not requested to send information ‘within 15 days ‘ ?
This is the manner how the RTI act is being treated by the Govt. officials in West Bengal. ----- Abhijeet