Brown Act Roundup: No public hearings on LA County contracts

A California appeals court ruled that the County of Los Angeles could make contracts for social services without public hearings. The court found that the contracts were made by executive officers not strictly a part of  a legislative agency so consequently the Brown Act, the state’s open government law, did not apply.  (Metropolitan News-Enterprise, September 26, 2014, by a MetNews Staff Writer)

The Saugus Union High School board of trustees have been accused of violating the Brown Act for discussing the replacement of a school board member outside a public meeting. The board claimed they made no vote so there was no violation. (SCV News, September 24, 2014, by Perry Smith)

Governor Jerry Brown vetoed three bills intended to strengthen the Brown Act saying that existing laws were sufficient.  He vetoed a measure that would stop local agencies such as school boards and city councils from preventing citizens from making public comments critical of policies or staff. Another measure to clearly state top donors in initiative, referendum or recall petitions suffered a veto as did a bill to make advisory committee meetings with one or two members open to the public. (KCRA.com, September 27, 2014)