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Public officials’ love of secrecy is no match for the public’s love to watch government decision-making up close. In California, democratic voyeurism prevails.

By Peter Scheer One of California's more remarkable political inventions is the requirement that lawmakers do their lawmaking in the open for all to see. Call it the people’s entitlement to democratic voyeurism: Members of city councils, county supervisors and school boards (among other local legislative bodies) must not only vote in public, they […]
- Public Meetings
June 2, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Teacher terminated after closed session

Last weekend our son's 4th grade teacher was fired from her "at will" employment at a local charter school. The board held a Regular Meeting and decided "immediate action" had to be taken. The teacher did not receive 24 hours notice about the meeting but was asked if she wanted to speak for five […]

October 20, 2011
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Can Police Chief sit on dais at a Police Commission meeting

My question: The Police Commission has the un fortunate practice of allowing the Chief of Police to sit on the dais with them when they meet. What I'm wondering is, is it legal for him to remain empaneled with them when they go into "closed session" (i.e. secret meeting where members of the public are […]

January 12, 2016
Asked and Answered

Brown Act CPRA

Community College Senate, Listservs, and Public Record

[…] have the right to privacy in these issues? There is a "listserv" among the faculty that was started a few years ago to be a forum for open communication between professional colleagues relating to academic and pedagogical issues surrounding the faculty. Currently, around 80 faculty out of the 400 employed are subscribed to the […]

June 14, 2009
Latest News

Bush Signs FOIA Rewrite

[…] signed bipartisan legislation containing the most important amendments to the FOIA in over a decade. The changes expand the definition of who is a "representative of the news media." This will benefit bloggers and non-traditional journalists by making them eligible for discounted processing and duplication fees that are available to the news media. Other […]

June 2, 2009
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July 3, 2024
Asked and Answered

Newsgathering

Can I use audio clips of solicitors refusing to be interviewed?

[…] are soliciting money pledges for various causes on the local university campus, outdoors, in public. I approached them with a recorder, identified myself as a radio reporter and started asking them questions. Their response was, "I don't want to answer any questions!" Is it legal to include that audio clip in my story, which would air on the radio? Or […]

May 12, 2014
Asked and Answered

CPRA

State Public Health Department Withholding Public Inspection Records

I called and reported a radiation exam concern last year to my state's public health department. After months of trying to obtain the results of the inspection report, I was told I had to submit my request online which I then did. The report lacked specificity and appeared to be lacking all of the […]

February 7, 2018
Asked and Answered

CPRA

Police Background Investigation

[…] on the background investigation, saying that they have to protect the confidentiality of the people who spoke against me. I believe that no one spoke against me and they are hiding behind confidentiality to deny me information. Is there any way I can force them to show me papers on the investigation, even if […]

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

CPRA

Is A Public Agency Required to Disclose Names of Board Member Applicants?

[…] authorized the District to turn operation of the hospital over to a nonprofit corporation, which will consist of hospital district directors, the chief of the medical staff, and three appointees. The hospital board is in the process of picking the appointees. It also must fill a vacancy left by a resignation of one of […]

February 23, 2018