FAC

Governor signs FAC-sponsored access bill

With encouragement from the California First Amendment Coalition, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 786 that limits the ability of state and local governmental agencies to win fee awards from citizens bringing lawsuits under the state’s open government laws -DB Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law SB 768 on August 6 a measure vital to maintaining the ability of citizens to seek redress of open government violations by local and state agencies. The law provides that

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FAC files amicus in US Sup Ct free speech / campaign contributions case

The First Amendment Coalition has filed an amicus brief in Citizens United v. FEC, the US Supreme Court case involving First Amendment challenges to federal campaign finance laws regulating corporate political speech during elections. The Court held this case over for re-argument in September and invited briefing on broader issues than the case originally had been thought to present—including whether to overturn several leading Supreme Court precedents in the campaign finance-freedom of speech area. Our

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Tax collector withholding documents

Q: My request to the County Tax Collectors’ office for “any handbook, manual or instructions that delineate the process in which your office processes claims for excess proceeds” is almost one month past the day they received the request and have refused to respond. What should I do? A. It seems that the agency is ignoring your request without citing any authority for withholding the record or without giving you notice that it will extend

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Requesting welfare application of divorced spouse

Q: Would I  be able to access my ex-spouse’s recently filed California welfare application? My belief is the application was falsified regarding residency. A: The kind of information you are seeking–names and addresses–may fall under the California Public Records Act (“PRA”) privacy exemption. The PRA provides that public records are presumptively open to the public, unless exempt from disclosure under the PRA. The PRA exempts from disclosure “[p]ersonnel, medical, or similar files, the disclosure of

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A&A: Protesting on Sidewalks

Protesting on Sidewalks Q: We arrived at the sidewalk in front of the Fox television offices. We demonstrated for about an hour then I took the bullhorn and stepped onto the private sidewalk that leads up to the front door of the office building. I spoke my piece as FOX security guards surrounded me and told me I was on private property. I knew that my civil rights were being violated, and that I had

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