2021 Open Government
Conference
November 30 - December 1, 2021
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center
1900 University Avenue
Austin, Texas 78705
The Office of the Attorney General will give CEU credit from the following organizations to those who are registered and attend the conference in person. Please sign-in each day to get CEU credit.
The number of CEU credit hours available are still
to be determined.
• Texas County & District Clerk's Association
• Texas State Board of Public Accountancy
• Texas Municipal League
• Texas State Board of Tax Professional Examiners
• Texas State Bar
Certificates of participation and course numbers for self-reporting will be emailed to attendees after the conference.
Attending the first day of the conference will meet the training requirement for officials found in section 552.012 of the Government Code.
The Open Meetings Act Basics presentation at the beginning of day 2 satisfies the Open Meetings Act training requirement for public officials.
The afternoon portion of the OMA presentation day 2 will focus exclusively on open meetings laws and will not address the Public Information Act. If you are not involved in the meetings of your governmental body, please feel free to depart at the lunch break.
Agenda
Times and topics are subject to change.
Monday, November 29, 2021
3- 5 p.m. Early Sign-in Zlotnik Ballroom
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
7:30 – 8 a.m. Sign-in and Continental Breakfast
8 – 8:15 a.m. Welcome and Remarks
8:15 – 8:45 a.m. State of the Public Information Act
This session provides an overview of where the Public Information Act started and where we stand now. This session will also key you into changes to look for though out the day.
8:45 – 9:45 a.m. Identifying a Request and the First Steps-
This session will focus on what the first steps to take when a governmental body receives a request. This will include how to tell if a request triggers the Public Information Act, identifying information that is responsive if it does, and finally calculating deadlines going forward.
9:45 – 10:30 a.m. Charges for Public-
This session will cover the basics of the Public Information Act’s cost rules. We will go through exactly what charges are allowed under the Public Information Act. This session will also cover your statutory obligations, including when deadlines may change.
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. 15 Minute break
10:30 – 11:15 a.m. No Decision Needed: How, and What, to Redact Without an Attorney General Decision-
Governmental bodies can withhold numerous types of information without the necessity of requesting an attorney general decision. This presentation will address redacting information as allowed by law so records can be released quickly and accurately.
11:15 a.m.-12 p.m. Requesting a Ruling-
This session will go through the deadlines and requirements when requesting a ruling. It will focus on practical steps to take when a ruling is needed.
12 – 1:15 p.m. Lunchtime Q&A - Lunch will be provided.
1:15 – 1:45 p.m. Requests Involving Third Party Interests-
This session will look at how to handle records where other parties, including other governmental bodies, may have an interest.
1:45 – 2:30 p.m. What To Do After a Ruling-
This session will focus on what to do once you have received a ruling from the Open Records Division. We will walk you through how to understand the ruling and apply it to information at issue.
2:30 – 2:45 p.m. 15 Minute Break
2:45 – 4 p.m. Putting Your Process Together-
This session will look at how all of the pieces discussed throughout the day come together. Including how to set up your system so that you don’t miss any deadlines or steps.
4 – 4:30 p.m. Unusual Requests-
The session will discuss handling requests that are unusually or particularly large. It will include a discuss about what a first or next step might be.
4:30 – 5 p.m. Optional Q & A-
Still not sure how to respond to a request for law enforcement or first responder records? This session provides a forum to address any remaining audience questions.
5 p.m. Adjourn Day One –
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
7:30 – 8 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
8 – 9 a.m. Records Retention Basics-
The presenter will provide an overview of the guidelines on records retention.
9 – 10 a.m. Ethics and the Public Information Act-
A presentation on the legal and ethical obligations when processing public information requests. It will also address the consequences for violating these obligations.
10 – 10:15 a.m. 15 Minute Break
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. Common Confidentiality Provisions-
This session will focus on the privacy doctrines and statutes that make certain information confidential by law, including guidance on common types of information to watch for.
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Permissive Exceptions: Including Administrative & Litigation-
This session will cover the exceptions to disclosure that governmental bodies are permitted, but not required, to raise, including sections 552.103, 552.107, and 552.111 of the Government Code.
12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch On Your Own
The remainder of the Open Government Conference will focus exclusively on open meetings laws and will not address the Public Information Act. If you are not involved in the meetings of your governmental body, please feel free to depart at the lunch break.
1:30 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. Open Meetings Act - Introduction
1:40 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. Open Meetings Act Basics-
This 1-hour session on the Open Meetings Act will provide general information on the Act, including its applicability, definitions of key terms, procedures and requirements for open and closed meetings, recordkeeping requirements, and the penalties and remedies for violations of the Act. It will satisfy the training requirement for elected or appointed officials under section 551.005.
2:40 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. Current state of Open Meetings Act Suspensions and Legal Update-
At the beginning of the COVID-19 disaster, the Governor used his emergency powers to suspend certain provisions of the Open Meetings Act to allow governmental bodies flexibility to meet remotely. Now that the suspension has been lifted, this segment will examine the current state of the Open Meetings Act. It will also provide a legal update on Open Meetings Act bills considered and enacted by the Legislature as well as on recent judicial opinions.
3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 15 Minute Break
3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. Videoconference Meetings under
the Open Meetings Act-
Under normal circumstances, the Open Meetings Act allows for limited meetings by telephone and videoconference. Many governmental bodies used videoconferencing for the first time while certain provisions of the Open Meetings Act were suspended and are now unsure of how they may proceed now that the suspensions have been lifted. Find out how videoconferencing can work under the law going forward, including a discussion of the Department of Information Resources guidance governing standards for audio and video technology.
4 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Public Participation During Open Meetings-
This segment will examine public comment at meetings of governmental bodies with the lifting of the suspensions of the Open Meetings Act. It will address commonly asked questions on issues including continued remote participation by the public and a governmental body’s authority to adopt rules about the public’s right to address the governmental body.
4:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Optional Open Meetings Act Q & A-
Do you still have questions? Raise them at this optional Q & A session where our attorneys will be available to answer them.
5 p.m. Adjourn Day Two
Times and topics are subject to change.
Monday, November 29, 2021
3- 5 p.m. Early Sign-in
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
7:30 – 8 a.m. Sign-in and Continental Breakfast
8 – 8:15 a.m. Welcome and Remarks
8:15 – 8:45 a.m. State of the Public Information Act
This session provides an overview of where the Public Information Act started and where we stand now. This session will also key you into changes to look for though out the day.
8:45 – 9:45 a.m. Identifying a Request and the First Steps-
This session will focus on what the first steps to take when a governmental body receives a request. This will include how to tell if a request triggers the Public Information Act, identifying information that is responsive if it does, and finally calculating deadlines going forward.
9:45 – 10:30 a.m. Charges for Public-
This session will cover the basics of the Public Information Act’s cost rules. We will go through exactly what charges are allowed under the Public Information Act. This session will also cover your statutory obligations, including when deadlines may change.
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. 15 Minute break
10:30 – 11:15 a.m. No Decision Needed: How, and What, to Redact Without an Attorney General Decision-
Governmental bodies can withhold numerous types of information without the necessity of requesting an attorney general decision. This presentation will address redacting information as allowed by law so records can be released quickly and accurately.
11:15 a.m.-12 p.m. Requesting a Ruling-
This session will go through the deadlines and requirements when requesting a ruling. It will focus on practical steps to take when a ruling is needed.
12 – 1:15 p.m. Lunch on Your Own
1:15 – 1:45 p.m. Requests Involving Third Party Interests-
This session will look at how to handle records where other parties, including other governmental bodies, may have an interest.
1:45 – 2:30 p.m. What To Do After a Ruling-
This session will focus on what to do once you have received a ruling from the Open Records Division. We will walk you through how to understand the ruling and apply it to information at issue.
2:30 – 2:45 p.m. 15 Minute Break
2:45 – 4 p.m. Putting Your Process Together-
This session will look at how all of the pieces discussed throughout the day come together. Including how to set up your system so that you don’t miss any deadlines or steps.
4 – 4:30 p.m. Unusual Requests-
The session will discuss handling requests that are unusually or particularly large. It will include a discuss about what a first or next step might be.
4:30 – 5 p.m. Optional Q & A-
Still not sure how to respond to a request for law enforcement or first responder records? This session provides a forum to address any remaining audience questions.
5 p.m. Adjourn Day One –
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
7:30 – 8 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
8 – 9 a.m. Records Retention Basics-
The presenter will provide an overview of the guidelines on records retention.
9 – 10 a.m. Ethics and the Public Information Act-
A presentation on the legal and ethical obligations when processing public information requests. It will also address the consequences for violating these obligations.
10 – 10:15 a.m. 15 Minute Break
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. Common Confidentiality Provisions-
This session will focus on the privacy doctrines and statutes that make certain information confidential by law, including guidance on common types of information to watch for.
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Permissive Exceptions: Including Administrative & Litigation-
This session will cover the exceptions to disclosure that governmental bodies are permitted, but not required, to raise, including sections 552.103, 552.107, and 552.111 of the Government Code.
12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch On Your Own
The remainder of the Open Government Conference will focus exclusively on open meetings laws and will not address the Public Information Act. If you are not involved in the meetings of your governmental body, please feel free to depart at the lunch break.
1:30 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. Open Meetings Act - Introduction
1:40 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. Open Meetings Act Basics-
This 1-hour session on the Open Meetings Act will provide general information on the Act, including its applicability, definitions of key terms, procedures and requirements for open and closed meetings, recordkeeping requirements, and the penalties and remedies for violations of the Act. It will satisfy the training requirement for elected or appointed officials under section 551.005.
2:40 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. Current state of Open Meetings Act Suspensions and Legal Update-
At the beginning of the COVID-19 disaster, the Governor used his emergency powers to suspend certain provisions of the Open Meetings Act to allow governmental bodies flexibility to meet remotely. Now that the suspension has been lifted, this segment will examine the current state of the Open Meetings Act. It will also provide a legal update on Open Meetings Act bills considered and enacted by the Legislature as well as on recent judicial opinions.
3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 15 Minute Break
3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. Videoconference Meetings under
the Open Meetings Act-
Under normal circumstances, the Open Meetings Act allows for limited meetings by telephone and videoconference. Many governmental bodies used videoconferencing for the first time while certain provisions of the Open Meetings Act were suspended and are now unsure of how they may proceed now that the suspensions have been lifted. Find out how videoconferencing can work under the law going forward, including a discussion of the Department of Information Resources guidance governing standards for audio and video technology.
4 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Public Participation During Open Meetings-
This segment will examine public comment at meetings of governmental bodies with the lifting of the suspensions of the Open Meetings Act. It will address commonly asked questions on issues including continued remote participation by the public and a governmental body’s authority to adopt rules about the public’s right to address the governmental body.
4:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Optional Open Meetings Act Q & A-
Do you still have questions? Raise them at this optional Q & A session where our attorneys will be available to answer them.
5 p.m. Adjourn Day Two