Search

Categories

Total Results

No Record Found

View All Results
DONATE

FAC

Plan for cameras in court stalls

FAC August 11, 2011

Amid complaints from trial judges, a proposal to ease rules limiting use of cameras in California courts has stalled. The proposal by the state Judicial Council’s Bench-Bar-Media Committee would have allowed cameras in court unless a judge specifically ruled otherwise and would have provided for appeals to a higher court. But after the idea ran into opposition from trial judges, the committee withdrew the plan, which would have required approval by the Judicial Council. Full

Read More »

Associated Press wins First Amendment Award

FAC August 8, 2011

For its ambitious use of freedom of information laws to generate high impact news stories, the Associated Press has won the 2011 Eugene S. Pulliam First Amendment Award. In a press release, the AP said it filed more than 1,000 public records requests in 2010 and 60 legal appeals of rejections. In 2009, the AP filed more than 1,500  requests and made 40 appeals. The award, which carries a $10,000 prize, is sponsored by the

Read More »

A&A: Park & Rec “advisory committee” keeping its advice secret

FAC August 8, 2011

Q: 1. Can the (recently appointed) president of a Park and Recreation board form a “Management Committee” without approval of the full Board when one of the (two) members of said Committee is a public member? 2. This “Committee” met with representatives of several public and possibly private (non-profit) organizations without publically reporting who they met with, when, or the topic of discussion. We do know they met with an individual associated with an individual

Read More »

A&A: The CPRA and privately owned utilities companies

FAC August 7, 2011

Q: Does the CA Public Records Act apply to a public, stockholder-owned company regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission? A: Whether or not records retained by the water company are covered by the Public Records Act depends on whether the company fits within the Act’s definition of “state or local agency.” A “state agency” is defined as “every state office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, and commission or other state body or agency, except

Read More »

A&A: How to file a Brown Act complaint

FAC August 6, 2011

A: The City Planning Commission considered an item not on the agenda, discussed it, and voted to deny it. I want to file a complaint. Where can I find what to do, the timeline, and a sample complaint? Q: If you feel that the Brown Act was violated, the first step would be to send a letter to the planning commission demanding that it cure or correct the action taken in violation of the Brown

Read More »