Asked & Answered

Q: Is it legal for Los Angeles County to charge a fee to film on private property when no public roads or public services are needed? Isn’t this against constitutional rights to free speech? A: Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Code of Ordinances § 22.56.1925 (accessible here:http://ift.tt/1HS7PfA), an application for a temporary use (filming) permit must be filed for on-location filming within all unincorporated county areas, on both public and private property. However, it appears the provision of the

Q: I recently filed CPRA requests with the California Department of Justice having to do with a hot-button issue the powers that be might not be too happy to make public. Nevertheless, the Sunshine laws mandate disclosure. As I am being stonewalled, I am requesting input as to what I can do. A: Where a Public Records Act request is being ignored, I always suggest writing a strongly worded (but friendly) letter to the agency setting forth the

Q: I would like to know if a detail report of legal counsel’s fees charged to the district is a public record.  The attorney has told the district administrator that his invoices are not public records. A: The California Public Records act provides access to any “writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency.”  Govt. Code § 6252(e). When a member of the