If you wonder how open government laws affect you, think about these basics: The local taxes we pay. Access to information through public meetings and records helps us know about the decisions elected officials are making on our behalf. The Open Meetings Act lawsuit successfully contested the 2024 election, with a judge striking down the passage of the bonds. Another Aleshire lawsuit blocked the city of Austin from placing controversial charter amendments on an election ballot because of Open Meetings Act violations. Public information is for everyone.