Public meetings protections remain in place — for now
In a bipartisan vote, a committee of the California Legislature voted down AB 817, keeping in place important public-meeting protections.
As a nonprofit, we do not lobby the California Legislature. However, we do engage in oversight of the legislative process, working with legislators and committee staffs, and providing testimony in support of First Amendment-friendly bills, and against bills that would turn the clock back. In a major effort, the Coalition authored and sponsored FOI legislation, ultimately put before the voters and enacted in 2004 as “Proposition 59,” to amend the California constitution to include a right to open-government.
In a bipartisan vote, a committee of the California Legislature voted down AB 817, keeping in place important public-meeting protections.
AB 817 would allow all public meetings conducted by certain government bodies to take place entirely virtually, reducing face-to-face accountability.
FAC sent this letter to Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco to oppose AB 817, a bill that would reduce the transparency and accountability of local government meetings, by allowing certain entities to meet entirely virtually.
Lawmakers should reject SB 544, SB 537, and SB 411.
Act now to ensure a state agency can’t shield police misconduct records.
Proposal would give a major police oversight agency a carve-out from California Public Records Act obligations.