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FAC

A&A: Can someone be arrested for speaking too long at a public meeting?

FAC September 11, 2014

Q: An activist was arrested at a city council meeting for exceeding the time limit. It’s very loosely enforced by the mayor who allows some people to speak longer and others not to. The decision to target the activist was made earlier by the city attorney who told the police officer the next time this particular activist spoke past the time limit to ”stop” her rather than telling him just to stop violators in general? Are

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A&A: Under CPRA, do I have a right to know who issued a citation?

FAC September 10, 2014

Q: I recently received a copy of vehicular citations from a local police department. The names of the officers issuing the citations are not listed. Do I have a right under the CPRA to find out the name of the officer? A: Under California’s Public Records Act, “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics”

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A&A: Are public records requests public records?

FAC September 9, 2014

Q: Are public records requests that are submitted in writing themselves public records and subject to disclosure upon request? A: Under the Public Records Act, public records — which include “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics,” Gov’t Code § 6252(e) — are presumed to be open to the public and must be

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FAC sues Palm Springs water agencies for data on water use by corporate customers

FAC August 15, 2014

The First Amendment Coalition has filed a CPRA suit against two government water agencies in the Palm Springs area to compel them to make public water usage data, by customer name, for each of their biggest corporate customers. The agencies, Coachella Valley Water District and the Desert Water Agency, have published this information in past years, with golf courses and country clubs dominating the lists of biggest water users. But this year, in the midst

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A&A: Can businesses ban Google Glass?

FAC August 15, 2014

Q: Can businesses ban customers from wearing Google Glass while on their premises? So, not simply banning video recording, but the actual wearing of the device. A: I cannot think of any reason why a business could not prohibit its customers from wearing Google Glass on their premises, except that it probably could not do so where the device is required for a disability. Otherwise, it would seem that under the First Amendment, such a prohibition

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