The public is invited to learn more about open government, including how to obtain public records, at a Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas open government seminar Friday, Feb 19, at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas.

Open records lawyers from the office of the Texas Attorney General and specialists from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas will collaborate on the free morning and $50 afternoon classes. Registration and more information about the classes can be found on the foundation's Web site.

The three-hour morning session includes discussion, video presentations and a question and answer period dealing with the Texas Public Information Act and Open Meetings Act. The session satisfies state law requiring all elected and appointed officials to complete such a class.

The paid afternoon session provides a detailed discussion of how to make an open records request, the costs and the time involved and recent rulings by the Attorney General and information on court cases involving public records. Handbooks and other handouts will be provided in this session.

The foundation has scheduled three other open government seminars: Friday, April 23 in Corpus Christi, Friday June 18 in Galveston and Friday, Sept. 10 in Abilene.