Texas Tribune: Bills to plug public information “loopholes” breeze through Senate

The Texas Senate cleared a pair of bills Tuesday aimed at plugging “loopholes” in public records law that have left taxpayers in the dark about key details of some government contracts.

Senate Bills 407 and 408 both breezed through the chamber and will head to the House. Filed by Sen. Kirk Watson, they push back against two 2015 Texas Supreme Court rulings that immediately made it easier for private companies involved with government contracts to keep parts of those contracts secret.

“What we’re trying to do is to make sure the public has information as to how its tax dollars are being spent,” Watson said.

Some businesses have lined up against the bills. The Texas Association of Business is among those who have voiced concerns over the bills.

“It’s important that proprietary information of businesses be protected when doing business with government,” Chris Wallace, the group’s president, said last month during a Senate committee hearing on the legislation.

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