Insights for public leaders

{"version":"0.6","posts":[{"slug":"before-the-meeting-starts-notice-agenda-minutes","url":"/insights-before-the-meeting-starts-notice-agenda-minutes","title":"Before the meeting starts: notice, agenda and minutes for Texas public bodies","dek":"A Houston appeals court ruled in 2025 that a county budget item did not give notice of a department split. What a Texas public body covered by the Open Meetings Act must post, when and where, and what the minutes must show.","iso":"2026-11-07","date":"November 7, 2026","topic":"Governance and public meetings","topics":["Governance","Legal and compliance"],"audience":["Elected officials and board members","Public employees and staff","Executives and agency leaders"],"sector":["Local government","Special purpose districts"],"img":"https://lwfiles.mycourse.app/69be1ebce8cc7a22cad3e60a-public/e1441548f314fe69f8deff8382497321.jpg","type":"article","live":true,"order":1,"mins":6,"course":"before-the-meeting-starts"},{"slug":"reading-a-recommendation-before-you-decide","url":"/insights-reading-a-recommendation-before-you-decide","title":"Reading a recommendation before you decide","dek":"A city audit found a council was asked to approve a major building deal without its full cost, its true condition or its risks. A practical way to work through any staff report, test its assumptions and reach a decision you can explain.","iso":"2026-11-07","date":"November 7, 2026","topic":"Leadership","topics":["Governance","Leadership"],"audience":["Elected officials and board members","Public employees and staff","Executives and agency leaders"],"sector":["Local government","Special purpose districts"],"img":"https://lwfiles.mycourse.app/69be1ebce8cc7a22cad3e60a-public/5f1ba924e64e5e8b2d911ec4eccb11e1.jpg","type":"article","live":true,"order":2,"mins":5,"course":"behind-every-vote"},{"slug":"the-90th-legislature-what-to-watch","url":"/insights-the-90th-legislature-what-to-watch","title":"The 90th Legislature: What to watch for local governments","dek":"The 90th Texas Legislature convenes January 12, 2027. What last session changed for cities, counties, school districts and special districts, how to follow bills as they move, and the dates to plan around.","iso":"2026-11-07","date":"November 7, 2026","topic":"Governance and public meetings","topics":["Governance","Legal and compliance"],"audience":["Elected officials and board members","Public employees and staff","Executives and agency leaders"],"sector":["Local government","Special purpose districts","Law enforcement","Fire and EMS"],"img":"https://lwfiles.mycourse.app/69be1ebce8cc7a22cad3e60a-public/da72a97a6928525d30175f5b24562ebf.jpg","type":"article","live":true,"order":3,"mins":4,"course":"how-texas-government-actually-works"}],"courses":{"ai-in-law-enforcement":{"t":"Artificial Intelligence in Law Enforcement: Tools, Policy, and Public Trust","h":4,"d":"Evaluate AI tools used in policing, set clear agency policy for their use and maintain public trust as the technology 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