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Press Release

San Joaquin County Sued for Charging Unlawful Fees for Autopsy Records About Deaths Caused by Police

[…] the county to charge the $25 flat fee. Also, California law specifically prohibits charging for the costs of locating, editing, or redacting records related to killings by police. "Access to public records shouldn’t depend on how much money someone has," said Katey Rusch, a reporter at the IRP. "We’re grateful to the attorneys supporting […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
July 30, 2025
Posts

Newsgathering

FAC, SPJ NorCal Urge SFPD to Respect Press Rights at Protests

Citing instances where journalists were detained, shoved, and obstructed, FAC and the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California chapter urge San Francisco Interim Police Chief Paul Yep to ensure press rights are respected at protests. The letter notes, "[W]e have serious concerns that officers appear to have violated your department’s general orders, California law […]
- Press Freedom
June 11, 2025
Latest News

Blog

Facing FAC Lawsuit, California Department of Justice Released Records on Shooting Death of Savannah Graziano

[…] names of officers involved in the incident. Given the amount of time since the shooting, the Department had no legal grounds to withhold the records under California’s police transparency laws, which allow temporary withholding under limited circumstances, none of which now exist in this case. Nonetheless, the Department denied Scott’s request because its investigation […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
March 31, 2025
Posts

First Amendment

FAC Joins Nationwide Coalition Condemning Police Attacks on Journalists

[…] Coalition signed a letter, along with 115 news and press freedom organizations, submitted today to Minnesota officials by the Reporters Committee to Freedom of the Press, condemning police use of force against journalists covering the protests and civil unrest in response to the police killing of George Floyd. The letter emphasizes that law enforcement […]
- Press Freedom
June 2, 2020
Posts

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 […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
- Press Freedom
April 6, 2021
Posts

FAC Supports SB 776 to Improve Police Transparency in California

The First Amendment Coalition supports a measure under consideration in the California Legislature that would improve police transparency, building on the landmark Right to Know Act, or SB 1421, which took effect in 2019. Senate Bill 776, authored by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, would expand the types of records related to police misconduct and […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
August 5, 2020
Latest News

Blog

Short Takes: government email, historical police records, fee awards against requesters

[…] years it has been almost impossible to conduct historical research using law enforcement records in California. Not only are many such records exempt under the CPRA, but police could withhold non-exempt records if they were more than 60 days old. That was the gist of the holding in a 1993 appellate decision, Los Angeles […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
January 21, 2015
Latest News

Advocacy Blog

Op-Ed: Passing SB 16 Will Bring Transparency to Police Misconduct

[…] Director David Snyder wrote an op-ed published May 27 in the Mercury News calling for passage of California Senate Bill 16, which would expand the types of police misconduct records that would be subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act. The bill, authored by state Sen. Nancy Skinner, builds on a measure FAC […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
June 9, 2021
Latest News

Blog

FAC’s Legal Fight for Police Transparency Featured in The American Lawyer

California's landmark police transparency law, SB 1421, the Right to Know Act of 2018, made certain records about police misconduct and serious use-of-force available to the public for the first time. Enforcement of the law has required litigation across the state since it took effect. One of the lawyers leading transparency efforts for the […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
August 10, 2020
Latest News

Cases Press Release

FAC sues San Diego PD for records on controversial cell phone surveillance technology

[…] withhold. The SDPD answered hypothetically that "assuming such documents exist," they would be exempt from disclosure as records containing "security or intelligence information," citing Gov Code section 6254(f). SDPD also cited other CPRA sections that imply that the records are subject to a confidentiality agreement. "The SDPD can’t plausibly claim that everything about its use […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
December 17, 2014