Search

Categories

Total Results

No Record Found

View All Results
DONATE

Asked & Answered

A&A: Advisory committees and the Brown Act

FAC June 13, 2009

Advisory committees and the Brown Act Q: The local school board recently changed the high school graduation requirement, with no prior parent notification or input. An advisory committee comprised of 30 teachers and district administrators reviewed graduation requirements and compiled a report and recommendation to the Board.  Since no community members or parents were included on the committee, or notified of its existence, was this a violation of the Brown Act? A: The question you

Read More »

A&A: Defining “action taken” and sufficiently describing agenda items

FAC June 13, 2009

Q: We believe based on a published Attorney General’s Opinion that the Brown Act applies to student governments at community colleges. Our student government, which distributes about $1.3 million per year in student fees, seems to consistently violate the Brown Act, particularly with respect to notice of its intended actions. Specifically, while our student government timely posts meeting agendas, the entries are so vague they fail entirely to describe the possible actions that ultimately (at

Read More »

A&A: Access to government officials’ email on personal account

Peter Scheer June 8, 2009

QUESTION: Suppose a public official advises certain persons to communicate with him at home — either by email or letter — in order to avoid having to disclose any of those communications as public records under the California Public Records Act? Would those records, in fact, be exempt from the PRA? ANSWER: I am not aware of any law that would prohibit a public official from using his home address or personal e-mail account to

Read More »

A&A: On access to government officials’ appointment calendars

Peter Scheer June 8, 2009

QUESTION: I requested calendar appointments of the Superintendent  for my district. He refused saying they were exempt from the Public Records Act pursuant to Govt. Code 6254(a) and (k) and 6255, as they relate to the “deliberative process.” However, I understand that the agency must clearly explain not merely state why the public interest does not favor disclosure. (Times Mirror v. Superior CT.) I responded with codes 6253(a) They’ve also postponed other records past the

Read More »