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Showing 361 - 370 of 1525 results

Asked and Answered

CPRA

Can I use the PRA to request lawmaker’s emails and calendars?

Please tell me how I can go about submitting a PRA request for a lawmaker's emails and calendar, and for the agendas of a legislative caucus. To whom do I submit my request?

August 26, 2016
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Does Brown Act allow City secrecy about power plant plans?

Our city has been trying to build a power plant. The 5-year CEC permit is about to expire. Can the City keep secret the development map and property owners names on the building extension petition? The petition for another 5-year extension was filed with the CEC before the Council "formally" voted its support. Isn’t […]

June 14, 2013
Latest News

Cases Press Release

FAC, ACLU Sue for Public Access to Kern County Superior Court

[…] Fresno against Kern County Superior Court officials for denying access to court proceedings in violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. (Read more about FAC's open-government advocacy amid the COVID-10 crisis.) The suit comes at a time when many businesses in Kern County, including bowling alleys and hair salons, have been permitted […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
June 26, 2020
Latest News

Cases Press Release

Fifth Judge Sides with FAC, Orders Release of Records in Bryan Carmody Raid

[…] unseal materials that California law makes clear should have been public many, many weeks ago." Carmody became the target of police amid a leak investigation related to news coverage of the death of San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi. When Carmody refused to give up his sources, police showed up at his home equipped […]
- Press Freedom
September 3, 2019
Asked and Answered

First Amendment Newsgathering

The DA gives information to other media, but refuses to make it available to our newspaper

I uncovered an election-time irregularity in the office of the District Attorney. This news led to his assistant's departure. Now, the DA refuses to provide public information on court cases that we can only get (and have gotten for 35 years) over the phone. I believe there is a statute somewhere that requires government […]

August 20, 2010
Latest News

Blog

Your First Amendment Rights and Press Freedom on Election Day

[…] responses to journalists on deadline and canmake referralstoexperts and qualified legal counselas the need arises. FAC'sLegalHotlineisfor anyone with questions about: Protesters'rights to assemble andrecord the police Journalists' newsgathering rights Access to public records and meetings Reporters on deadline or withurgent legal needs canreach out directlytoFAC@firstamendmentcoalition.orgor (415)460-5060, which isstaffed by the coalition's lawyers. MORE RESOURCES […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
- Public Records
November 3, 2020
Latest News

Advocacy Blog

San José releases trove of mayor’s emails in FAC public records case

[…] records — records that should have been made public a long time ago. In addition to being materials the public was clearly entitled to access, they were newsworthy. At the heart of the case is San José Mayor Sam Liccardo's use of private email and devices to do city business. When public officials in […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
- Public Records
October 17, 2022
Asked and Answered

First Amendment

Regulating teacher speech

[…] bilingual education, Hispanic culture, etc. I posted some articles on how poorly bilingual education performs compared to immersion, etc. that does not conform to the party line. The principal has directed me, and only me, out of 100+ teachers to submit to him anything before I post it on the "all staff." Is this legal?

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

CPRA

Public Officials’ Personal Email

[…] city council member's use of his/her personal email account to discuss city business make that account subject to Public Records Act Requests? If so, is there a threshold between a single or several incidental uses and the systematic use of the personal email for city business that would trigger the account's exposure to such requests?

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

CPRA

State college employees using work email for political campaigning

[…] a state college used his work email address for over two years to conduct a political campaign. County Counsel is both refusing to act on this matter, and claims there was no inappropriate use of a public email. He talks about door hangers, calling up talk shows, and the county counsel claims as long […]

August 12, 2011