The LA Times’ suit against the Dept. of Corrections and San Jose’s draft Sunshine law are headlines that offer a succinct summary of our state government’s commitment to transparency: it’s a work in progress. Here’s more on those and other CA public access stories:
The Los Angeles Times has sued the California Department of Corrections (CDCR) for records on Franc Cano, 27, and Steven Dean Gordon, 45, who were arrested a few months ago and are charged with the rape and murder of four women. The Times records requested may reveal that Cano and Gordon were “under the watch of multiple law enforcement agencies” at the time of the murders. The CDCR has produced some, but not all, of the records requested by the newspaper, violating the California Public Records Act.
Though the courts have made clear that public employees’ pay, employment history, pensions, and job titles are all public record, the California Department of Aging would not answer The Sacramento Bee’s questions about whether Monica Rae, a state executive and recent hire of Aging, still works for her new employer.
On August 6, the Rules Committee of San Jose will consider a draft ordinance for the city council to consolidate the city’s open government policies, processes, and procedures. The new ordinance will simplify aspects of the 2008 sunshine reforms, such as when notices about public meetings are distributed, as well as adjust the rules around open records requests.
An activist in Salinas raised concerns earlier this week about a Monterey County panel that disperses state funds for prisoner realignment costs. According to MacGregor Eddy, the group may have violated California’s Brown Act by creating a contract with a private firm that appears to have been rushed and finalized behind closed doors.