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Press Rights

Our California Legislative Priorities Focus on Police Transparency and Press Protections

The First Amendment Coalition's priorities for the 2021 California legislative session focus on advancing police transparency, strengthening press and protester protections, and opposing government secrecy in all forms. Read our position letters to see where we stand on bills we are monitoring: FAC supports these bills AB 339: Enhances public access to meetings AB […]
April 6, 2021
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Cases

Decades of legal wisdom and experience

June 18, 2024
Asked and Answered

CPRA

Can a private company profit by selling public information

Can a private company make a profit by selling public information? Or is there a law that says they cannot take public information and charge people to look at it?

December 21, 2011
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Does the Brown Act address how long a board member can be absent from meetings?

[…] the district for several months. She has been participating in Board meetings by telephone from Alabama where she is seeking medical attention, but she is not in the district to serve in any way other than these monthly meetings by telephone. How long can this go on and still qualify to be on the Board?

May 16, 2012
Asked and Answered

First Amendment Protest Rights

Are Protesters Vulnerable to Arrest Under COVID-19 Ordinance Banning Public Gatherings?

My county passed a COVID-19 public ordinance stating that citizens are prohibited from participating in public gatherings and can be fined or arrested for doing such. With the protests happening across the city, I can see this being an issue that could lead to many protester arrests that would have otherwise been peaceful. I […]

January 20, 2021
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Quorums, Listservs, and the Brown Act

I am a member of the faculty at a California Community College and a member of the Academic Senate. The Academic Senate is governed by the Brown Act. The faculty have a listserv--electronic discussion forum. If a quorum or more members of the Senate are subscribed to the listserv (closed to all but faculty […]

June 14, 2009
Posts

First Amendment

Letter: Ojai Officials Erred in Passing Ordinance that Compels Speech by Affordable Housing Developers

[…] communication to the public about a given project. The letter states: "For example, the Ordinance applies to an op-ed or letter to the editor in a local newspaper discussing public policy reasons to support a project, such as a shortage of housing and increasing rates of homelessness." Our letter explains that the ordinance goes […]
- Free Expression
January 12, 2024
Latest News

Blog

Hillary’s email problem: A crucial lesson for government officials everywhere

[…] they should use either a dot-gov account OR a personal account that COPIES THE EMAIL TO A DOT-GOV ACCOUNT. The either-or rule is the solution contained in a new federal law, section 2911 of the Federal Records Act (enacted in 2014, after Hillary had left the State Department). It provides that federal employees, when sending […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
- Public Records
March 17, 2015
Asked and Answered

CPRA Police Records

Sheriff’s office denies access to 2004 arrest documents saying too much time has elapsed

[…] 2004 arrest of a man by the Sheriff. I was told by their Discovery Officer that my request would be denied because the records are so old and I’m no longer entitled to the information under the Public Records Act. She cited 6254 f(1) and (2) which I understand entitles me to certain information […]

October 4, 2011
Latest News

Cases

CFAC files brief to lift gag in BART homicide case

[…] prosecution of a former BART police officer who is charged with murder for the shooting death--captured on numerous cellphone videos uploaded to Youtube--of Oscar Grant III on New Year's Day. The Coalition's brief, written by Keker & Van Nest lawyers Paven Malhotra and Cody Harris, argues that the judge's gag order "denies the press […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
June 3, 2009