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TPA cites Rep. Brooks Landgraf as Champion of Transparency

The Texas Press Association recently recognized Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, as a TPA Champion of Transparency for his legislative work to keep government open to the public.
“He went above and beyond to make government better,” said Odessa American Publisher Patrick Canty, TPA board chairman.
In 2017, Landgraf crafted legislation that aims to establish an online, searchable and public database listing protective orders issued by Texas courts as a result of domestic violence.
Canty said he was grateful to recognize someone who shines a light of transparency on things that affect everyone and works to defeat threats to open government, as Landgraf did with a recent bill that targeted public notice requirements. 
Landgraf acknowledged the emerging trend to move information online, but disagreed with the idea. “It’s about making sure the public has access to information about business that is being conducted on their behalf,” he said. “I think we need to meet the people where they are. Not everybody is online or is accustomed to being able to search through pages and pages on a bureaucratic website, but they know they can look on page 3B of the local paper and know where they are going to find the information that is important to them.”
(This article by Courtney Borchert is reprinted with permission from the Odessa American.)