PRESS RELEASE
From the Office of State Senator Jeff Wentworth

For Immediate Release
October 11, 1999
Contact: Margaret Rambie - (210) 826-7800

FOI Foundation presents James Madison Award to Sen. Wentworth

The Freedom of Information Foundation presented its James Madison Award to Senator Jeff Wentworth and Jack Loftis, Houston Chronicle associate publisher and editor. They received their awards at the John Henry Faulk Awards dinner October 8 at the Omni Austin Hotel. The dinner was an event of the foundations annual state conference.

Senator Wentworth was the Senate sponsor of a House bill which opens previously secret staff briefings to the public. In addition, he authored an omnibus Senate bill that revised public information laws, such as speeding up attorney general consideration of open records requests, banning courts from prohibiting disclosure of information deemed public and requiring government offices to post signs outlining the publics right to know.

Loftis, a former FOI president, persuaded former Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock to take a close look at abuses of the states open government laws.

"I am honored to be the recipient of the James Madison Award," said Senator Wentworth. "As a strong advocate of open government, I am pleased that after repeated attempts, we managed to pass legislation that makes it easier for Texans to access public information and keep government business from being conducted behind closed doors in secret."

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