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Explainers

First Amendment and Government Transparency Explainers

July 3, 2024
Handbooks

California Brown Act Primer

The Ralph M. Brown Act, one of California’s main sunshine laws, is intended to provide public access to meetings of local government agencies.
- Government Transparency and Accountability
September 8, 2024
Asked and Answered

Brown Act First Amendment

I could not display a video during my public comment at a city council meeting

This inquiry raises two distinct issues: (1) the extent to which a government agency can regulate the process and form of public comments; and (2) what remedies are available for violations of public comment rules. We will first address limitations on public comment, and then we will share information about the Brown Act’s remedies […]

April 3, 2025
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Can A School District Bar The Public From School Closure Meetings?

[…] to compromise by having a 30-minute public discussion before the committee goes in and works behind closed doors. This is described as a "compromise" to help move the decision making along. I just want to know if the school district within its legal rights to bar parents from observing such important school closure decision meetings.
- Government Transparency and Accountability
April 21, 2022
Handbooks

Police Transparency Handbook

For decades, California was one of the most secretive states when it came to internal law enforcement records, with officers having more privacy protections than other government employees. This veil of secrecy began to lift starting in 2019, after California passed landmark legislation that made certain use-of-force and officer misconduct records accessible under the […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
September 6, 2024
Posts

A Guide to 2023 Open Meetings Law Changes

[…] public criticism of the policies, procedures, programs, or services of the agency, or of the acts or omissions of the legislative body. AB 2647 (Levine) codified at Government Code section 54957.5 AB 2647 allows local bodies to satisfy transparency requirements related to disclosure of records tied to business set for discussion or action at […]

February 16, 2023
Asked and Answered

Brown Act CPRA

Board Conducting Public’s Business Via Private Emails

[…] But, going forward, what is the process by which a Board can communicate electronically and still comply with the Brown Act? What are the rules? What process could one use to require the Board to make those emails a part of the public record? This must not be the first time this issue has arisen.

June 24, 2010
Asked and Answered

Brown Act CPRA

Park & Rec “advisory committee” keeping its advice secret

[…] form a "Management Committee" without approval of the full Board when one of the (two) members of said Committee is a public member? 2. This "Committee" met with representatives of several public and possibly private (non-profit) organizations without publicly reporting who they met with, when, or the topic of discussion. We do know they […]

August 8, 2011
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Governing Boards with Public Funds

I would like to know if governing Boards for co-ops that use public funds fall into the jurisdiction of the Brown Act or the Bagley-Keen open meeting act? If so how the Brown Act applies to these governing bodies?

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Discussion of Employee Termination in Closed Session

[…] job, as Director of Finance, title or position was never put on for discussion, nor was my job title put on for closed session since I started with the City. The next morning the mayor and the City manager were waiting for me to terminate my employment with the City. The City council members […]

June 14, 2009