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Sunshine Week: Transparency Critical During Public Health Emergency

A letter from Executive Director David Snyder Dear Friends of the First Amendment, During times of widespread uncertainty, the public needs a clear picture of what our government is doing. Indeed, transparency is much more important in such times, when the government takes on a far greater role in our day-to-day lives. As government […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
March 16, 2020
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Blog Cases

Score one big victory for access to government data

In a long-running test case about government transparency and public access to government data, the First Amendment Coalition recently won a big victory. The California Supreme Court sustained FAC's claim that the State Bar—an arm of the judiciary that regulates lawyers—must disclose extensive data on applicants for admission to the Bar (minus their names […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
December 20, 2013
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FAC News Press Release

MuckRock, The New York Times, Bloomberg, and the North Coast Journal Honored with FAC’s Free Speech and Open Government Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [email protected] SAN RAFAEL — The First Amendment Coalition is pleased to announce the winners of its 2023 Free Speech and Open Government Award: Thadeus Greenson of the North Coast Journal; Al-Amyn Sumar and David McCabe of The New York Times and Leah Nylen of Bloomberg; and nonprofit, collaborative news platform […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
- Press Freedom
February 26, 2024
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Blog FAC News

FAC Seeks Nominations for 2017 Free Speech & Open Government Award

The First Amendment Coalition is soliciting nominees for the FAC Free Speech & Open Government Award, given each year for performance of exemplary work in the arena of open government. Qualifications for the award are outstanding accomplishment, service or other contributions to "the people’s right to know" about government. The winner, or winners, could […]

September 7, 2017
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Blog Cases

FAC Litigation Report: update on select current cases

FAC has been hard at work in state and federal court, fighting to keep government transparent and our elected leaders accountable. Here are brief summaries of some recent developments in select FAC cases: Drone Memo Case: FAC in the Ninth Circuit FAC lawyers were in court again last month in a lawsuit that helped […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
January 17, 2017
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FAC lawsuit leads to model CPRA policy for dot-gov email

Auburn and San Jose are the first cities in California to adopt policies acknowledging the public’s right of access to city officials’ emails about government business--regardless of the kind of email accounts used to send or receive those emails. Emails have long been covered by California’s Public Records Act (PRA), which treats paper records […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
December 23, 2012
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Consumers blindsided by secret settlements in hi-tech patent lawsuits

[…] to competition. Agreements in patent feuds between competitors, like the Apple-HTC settlement, pose an even greater threat to competition than mergers. If class actions and mergers require government approval, settlements in patent suits between rivals should be subject to at least the same level of scrutiny. Apple, Samsung, et al. no doubt would defend […]

December 23, 2012
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CFAC Update: Acting globally and locally: From internet censorship in China to a TRO against Atherton, CA

[…] both globally and locally, in the last 2 months. First globally: CFAC has initiated a proceeding that will attempt to use international trade laws to force the government of China to end its censorship of the internet. In a submission and presentation to the Office of the US Trade Representative, CFAC has petitioned for […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
June 3, 2009
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Press Release

CFAC awards

CFAC announces awards to FOES and friends of free speech, open government. "Darkness Awards" zap Orange County judge, Capistrano school board, San Bernardino assessor The California First Amendment Coalition has named the 2008 recipients of its "Darkness Award," given in recognition of conduct that thwarts freedom of speech and the public's right to know. […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
- Press Freedom
June 3, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act CPRA

The Brown Act and non-government youth organizations

As a general rule, the Brown and Public Records Acts only apply to government agencies. Since the name of the organization is Santa Maria Girls Softball, Inc., it sounds like it is a private entity and not a governmental agency. The only private entity subject to the Brown Act is a "board, commission, committee […]

June 14, 2009