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    Showing results for government bodies must comply brown act 54951 act90 54951 act 54951 act90 54951 54951 54951

  • Latest News

    Advocacy Blog

    Criticism Is Not Defamation. It’s Free Speech.

    […] that "derogatory comments against district employees or others made in a board meeting can be actionable as defamation under certain circumstances." This statement violates the First Amendment and California law. Today FAC sent this letter to the school board informing it that such threats are unconstitutional, emphasizing that "critique of government is democracy, not defamation."

    October 28, 2024

  • Posts

    First Amendment Public Meetings

    FAC Urges Merced School Board President to Stop Threatening Speech Rights

    […] immunity for statements made in legislative proceedings such as school board meetings whenever the statements have some relation or connection to the proceeding." "More fundamentally, critique of government is democracy, not defamation," Cappetta wrote. The letter asks Brooks to disavow the statement and publicly affirm the board’s commitment to the First Amendment. As of […]

    October 28, 2024

  • Pages

    2021 Impact Report

    In 2021, we encountered barriers to basic government information — from public health agencies about the COVID-19 pandemic to police departments confronting social unrest over racial injustice. FAC was there to protect our rights.

    March 2, 2022

  • Posts

    FAC Supports AB 339’s Open Meeting Provisions

    FAC stands with a broad coalition of civic organizations backing a measure that would enhance public participation in government meetings in California. Read our joint letters in support of California Assembly Bill 339.

    April 1, 2021

  • Cases

    Newsgathering

    FAC Asks Court to Depublish Opinion Misconstruing Reporter Shield Law Protections

    […] reporter’s notes of an interview with a co-defendant. As explained in the letter, the decision diluted the rights of reporters by misconstruing the burden a criminal defendant must carry to justify piercing the reporter’s shield law. From the letter: "Absent depublication, the will make the shield law less effective and encourage criminal defendants to […]

    January 9, 2024

  • Cases

    First Amendment

    Porter v. Martinez

    […] her speech has been chilled by the threat of continued enforcement. Unfortunately, both the district court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the government. In her dissent, Ninth Circuit Judge Marsha Berzon noted that the majority’s ruling upheld "a ban on a popular form of political expressive conduct" without any […]

    December 12, 2023

  • Posts

    First Amendment

    FAC Urges Alameda Board of Supervisors to Reject Ordinance that Criminalizes Observing or Reporting on Sideshows

    […] events occurring in public, even if those events are illegal. Such reporting is essential to informing the public, exposing or protesting unlawful conduct, or otherwise speaking out or petitioning the government. The draft ordinance would unconstitutionally punish the exercise of these core First Amendment rights. See the letter to the Alameda Board of Supervisors below.

    June 13, 2023

  • Posts

    First Amendment

    FAC Joins Letter to Sacramento Police Over Treatment of Journalists at Protest

    […] training for officers on First Amendment issues. It is important that Sacramento police safeguard the rights of journalists, especially given that the city is the seat of government power in California. We hope to engage with you in a constructive dialogue that will be productive for all sides–your department, the city, and the journalists […]

    March 18, 2019

  • Posts

    First Amendment

    FAC Condemns Speech-Chilling Tactics of Cypress City Hall

    […] a local woman, that her social media post about city business was "potentially libelous" and suggested she remove it, which she did (read news coverage). "Critique of government is democracy, not defamation," Loy wrote to the city. If the city wished to dispute a community member’s claims, Loy wrote, it is free to do […]

    August 1, 2022