TAB honors Rep. Martinez Fischer

TAB presented a Legislative Leader award to the Honorable Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer on Feb. 16 before a crowd of San Antonio-area broadcasters.

TAB recognized Rep. Martinez-Fischer, D-San Antonio, for his extraordinary and skilled leadership in passage and enactment of the Texas Free Flow of Information Act of 2009.

The Texas FFOIA benefits all Texans by improving protection of the public?s right to know about governmental and corporate wrongdoing.

Martinez Fischer?s efforts capped an intense struggle to pass the legislation that has taken place over many previous sessions of the Texas Legislature.  In fact, the first FFOIA was discussed by lawmakers some 35+ years ago.

Throughout the process Martinez Fischer worked diligently with broadcasters to ensure the landmark law?s passage.  He spent countless hours talking with other lawmakers, negotiating with prosecutors and broadcasters, and undergoing extensive bill briefing sessions.

His outstanding leadership, determination and drive moved the bill very early in session out of its House committee, through the House Calendars committee to an early major state calendar and to a unanimous third reading vote by the Texas House of Representatives.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry on May 13, 2009.   It was first used by KIII-TV Corpus Christi in a case just two weeks later.   The station successfully quashed a subpoena seeking a reporter?s testimony concerning previously broadcast materials.