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[…] broadest range of engaged and informed communities is essential to the health of our democracy – that the values expressed by the First Amendment provide a blueprint for an inclusive, equitable society and a responsive, accountable government. To that end, FAC educates, advocates and litigates to protect and promote government transparency and First Amendment […]

June 11, 2024
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FAC Opposes Legislation that Would Weaken Public Oversight of Government Officials in California

[…] laws under the guise of increasing remote access to meetings. The most problematic provisions undermine the democratic values of open government and oversight of our public institutions for the convenience of politicians — allowing public officials to do the public’s business from private locations that are neither identified nor accessible to the public. And […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
May 13, 2022
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Cases Press Release

FAC Sues Bakersfield For Open Meetings, Records Violations

[…] staffing and taxation. The "anticipated litigation" exemption does not apply to such broad financial and policy matters, nor does any other exemption to the Brown Act’s open-meetings requirements. "Bakersfield is trying to use a narrow exemption to the law, illegally, as a cover to secretly discuss crucial policy matters they apparently would rather not […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
December 22, 2017
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

City Council disbursed funds without allowing comment by groups they shortchanged

[…] just two of the thirteen shelters and wouldn't take comments from the 11 shelters that were shortchanged. Our agency in fact serves more people than the two receiving the most funding. How is that fair and how is that legal? How can we fight for the funds we need to for the people we serve?

February 15, 2012
Asked and Answered

Brown Act First Amendment

Video Tapes, Free Speech, and the Brown Act

To comply with the Brown Act, our City Council has separate Oral Communication periods; there are periods for Agenda Items, and Non-Agenda City Business. In our past election cycle during the 2-minute Non-Agenda Item Orals a video tape of a candidate was played. Video tapes are allowed to be used by speakers. The City […]

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act First Amendment

Swearing in public commenters at open meetings

A local city council has adopted various new rules for members of the public wishing to address the council. The most concerning issue is: "The presiding officer may require any person to be sworn as a witness before addressing the council on any subject." They go onto to state that anyone making false statements […]

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Regular meetings and varying times/locations

[…] council hold the regular meetings in two different places at varying times? A City Council has been starting meetings in one room, then the mayor's conference room for study session, interviews, or closed sessions, and then adjourns that meeting and move to the City Council Chambers for the remainder.As the Brown act says the […]

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

The city decided in closed session to let Wal Mart pick up legal tab for lawsuit

[…] the city against the suit; and that they had also agreed in this same closed session to allow Wal Mart to cover the city's full legal costs for the suit. Although I understand the city's need and right to both discuss the litigation and tally the vote in secret, I do NOT understand why […]

August 20, 2012
Asked and Answered

Bagley-Keene Act Brown Act

My job has been threatened if I divulge details of closed-door meetings

[…] university where I worked has held confidential meetings of a management committee for a program operated under an agreement with the county. There was never an agenda, minutes, notices of meetings or officers. For the past four years. They threatened to fire me if anything at these meetings was divulged, and now they have eliminated my position.

March 10, 2017
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

School district denies Brown Act violation. What next?

[…] responded back within 30 days (on May 3, 2013 via e-mail) stating that the District determined it had not violated the Brown Act. The violations: 1. The Agenda for the Board Meeting was not posted for the public 72 hours prior to the meeting; rather, it was posted less than 8 hours prior to […]

June 17, 2013