Coalition News

FAC and the Freedom of Information Committee of the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California chapter today published a new tool to help overcome barriers to public information. Some state and local entities in California have stopped responding to requests made under the Public Records Act citing the COVID-19 health emergency. The following is a template that journalists and members of the public can use to generate a response to any entity in California that

The First Amendment Coalition and 10 other advocacy organizations today called on the California judiciary to recognize and enforce the public’s First Amendment right of access to court proceedings as court operations change in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Courts across California are halting proceedings, restricting access to buildings and holding some hearings telephonically, raising concerns that members of the public and the press, who are exempt from the state’s stay-at-home order, will face insurmountable