FAC

In Russia, fears of Internet censorship

The Russian government has blocked access to material on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in the name of protecting children, but others see it as a step toward wider Internet censorship, according to the New York Times. Full story

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A&A: Does Brown Act allow public meeting recordings to be destroyed?

Q: We are a small community of citizens trying to find our way dealing with a public board that we believe gave us no equal consideration. We are seeking assistance in requesting copies of e-mails from a county board. We believe that the decision made during a meeting was a result of a Brown Act violation that occurred prior to the board meeting. Also we are trying to get a copy of the recording that

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A&A: CPRA request for state agency’s contracts granted, but price-tag redacted

Q: I’m a journalist researching the CA Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board’s relationship with a particular company that supplies one type of specialized medical insurance for the state. I recently sent the Insurance Board a public records request for various documents, including a request for the state’s contract with the firm. I was sent the contract but the contract amount was blotted out on the grounds that  parts of Govt. Code Sec. 6254 allows it

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A&A: When can a public Board claim attorney-client privilege?

Q: Our municipal board, of which I am a member, recently convened a closed session meeting that was not listed as an item on the published agenda. The purpose of the meeting, which included  a city attorney, was for several board members wanted to present their case against me as a Brown Act violator.  I believe the lawyer was invited to establish a claim of attorney-client privilege to hide their actions from public scrutiny. Can

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A&A: Non-compliance of 10-day rule regarding CPRA

Q: I have requested email addresses of our County Superior Court officials. The Court Operations Manager has not complied and the 10-day limit has expired. What recourse do I have in forcing disclosure of the information. A: The only way to enforce the Public Records Act is to file a lawsuit. Short of that, the best thing to do is to continue to contact the agency and request a response. Some times it can be

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