What You Need to Know about Texas Public Records and Open Meetings

This event qualifies for 1.5 MCLE / ICRM

Understand public records and open meetings law in Texas so you can stay compliant and use them to your advantage.

As a governmental entity, you are required to comply with the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) and the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA). However, many governmental entities do not understand the requirements of the TPIA and TOMA and are likely at risk for noncompliance. This topic provides a broad overview of the TPIA and helps the persons responsible for handling open records requests to accurately and efficiently respond to such requests, to clarify such requests, to understand the timelines for requests, and to know how/when to send a request for information to the Attorney General for an opinion. The material will follow a sample request through the process to help explain the process a governmental entity should use upon receiving an open records request. Failing to understand how the process works is the most common error governmental entities make and can often lead to the required disclosure of protected documents. This topic will also provide a basic overview of TOMA as well as some of the common mistakes made by governmental entities. This material will provide a checklist for compliance prior to the meeting through the conclusion of the meeting.

Learning Objectives

You will be able to define the key components of a duly-called meeting of a governmental body.
You will be able to describe the process for responding to Public Information Act requests.
You will be able to identify potential pitfalls with respect to compliance with the Texas Public Information Act.
You will be able to explain and recognize common mistakes and/or misperceptions regarding the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Speaker and Presenter Information

Rebecca Bradley

Attorney at Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd & Hullett, P.C.

Former middle school teacher
Practice is focused on school law, representing public school districts, private schools, and colleges, with extensive experience handling Texas Open Meetings Act issues
The school law section conducts regular seminars and trainings on all issues that affect our clients, including, but not limited to, employee investigations, open government, training for school boards, Fair Labor Standards Act, and religion and public employees
J.D. degree, Texas A&M University School of Law; B.A. degree, Southern Methodist University
Member of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Council of School Attorneys; Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association; Dallas Association of Young Lawyers

Can be contacted at 214-544-4000 or rbradley@abernathy-law.com

Lauren Wood

Lauren Wood

Attorney at Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd & Hullett, P.C.

Practice is focused on school law, representing public school districts, private schools, and colleges, with extensive experience handling Public Information Act requests
The school law section conducts regular seminars and trainings on all issues that affect our clients, including, but not limited to, employee investigations, open government, training for school boards, Fair Labor Standards Act, and religion and public employees
J.D. degree, Magna Cum Laude, Order of the Coif, SMU Law Review, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law; B.A. degree, Summa Cum Laude, University of Texas at Dallas; B.A. degree, Texas A&M University
Member of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Council of School Attorneys and Collin County Bar Association

Can be contacted at 214-544-4000 or lwood@abernathy-law.com