Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken Travis County's arm and twisted it, but not in the playground bully kind of way. Rather, he's scored a legal victory ensuring local officials stick to the script—or the Texas Open Meetings Act, to be precise. In a press release on the Texas Attorney General's website, Paxton states, "Government cannot be transparent if its elected leaders secretly vote on important matters that are required by Texas law to be discussed in an open meeting." He's clearly not into behind-closed-doors dealings, and now Travis County Commissioners have to play by the rules.
Last year, those Commissioners tried to slide some cash—$115,000 to be exact—for security at the District Attorney's house without letting the public chime in. They called it "security issues" and locked themselves away in an executive session on March 19, 2024, as detailed by a statement from the Attorney General's Office. But Paxton wasn't having any of that and sued them for not playing by the rules.
The Travis County Commissioners Court has formally committed to adhering to transparency laws, likely to avoid further legal issues. Following pressure from Paxton, they have reconsidered the funding for D.A. Jose Garza’s security enhancements, this time with proper public notice and input. An "agreed final judgment" now requires the Court to comply with open meeting regulations.
This shift toward open government should mean more trust in local officials, but let's not hold our breath just yet. Paxton's press release further emphasizes, "This judgment requires the Travis County Commissioners Court to abide by all government transparency laws." Travis County has been reminded that bypassing democratic processes isn’t just improper—it’s illegal.
