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First Amendment News

Tulare County: Supervisors challenged in court test on open government compliance

donal brown March 15, 2010

An open government advocate is suing the Tulare County Board of Supervisors to prevent them from holding luncheons with a voting majority present. -db Visalia Times-Delta March 12, 2010 By Valerie Gibbons An open-meeting watchdog has filed a lawsuit against the Tulare County Board of Supervisors in an effort to end supervisors’ practice of sharing meals when a voting majority is present. Richard McKee, from the Southern California city of La Verne, is asking a

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China set to continue censorship if Google abandons country

donal brown March 15, 2010

With a Google shutdown imminent in China, the government is warning Google’s partners that they must comply with censorship laws as the price of doing business in the country. -db The New York Times March 14, 2010 By Sharon LaFraniere BEIJING — The Chinese authorities have warned major partners of Google’s China-based search engine that they must comply with censorship laws even if Google does not, an industry expert with knowledge of the notice said

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Newspapers win First Amendment victory in overturning ban on airport news racks

donal brown March 15, 2010

A panel of a federal appeal court ruled that a North Carolina airport is violating the First Amendment in banning newspaper vending racks. -db McClatchy Washington Bureau March 12, 2010 By Bruce Siceloff WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority is violating the First Amendment with its ban on newspaper coin vending racks at the airport, a federal appellate court ruled today. In a split 2-1 vote, a panel of the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court

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California: Media find watchdog role difficult during recession

donal brown March 15, 2010

Local and state governmental agencies blame budget cuts for their inability to provide information to the media requested under state open records laws. -db The Sacramento Bee March 15, 2010 By Charles Piller State and local government officials increasingly are blaming budget cuts and furloughs when they withhold or delay the release of information requested under the state Public Records Act. The result is a diminished ability for the media to perform their watchdog role

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Los Angeles area: District Attorney crucial in keeping local government open and honest

donal brown March 15, 2010

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office has their hands full enforcing the California Public Records Act and Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law, and to make sure that public officials are acting with honesty and integrity. -db Pasadena Star-News Editorial March 14, 2010 For the most part, government acting in the open is based on the honor system. Remedies for violations of the Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law, are few and far between.

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