Why Support FAC?
Why Support FAC?
FAC’s vision is a California in which the rights promised by the First Amendment are available and enforced for everyone, irrespective of wealth, politics or access to power. Every day, FAC’s team of First Amendment experts fight for these protections and for government transparency on multiple fronts, bringing our decades of experience to bear by using our model of integrated advocacy—litigation, public education, and policy advocacy—to attack violations of our core rights at the local, state, and federal levels.
Nonpartisan and nonprofit, FAC believes that the 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.
900 Served by the Legal Hotline
9 Pieces of State or Federal Legislation Influenced by FAC
228 Mentions in the Media
19 Educational Events Featuring FAC Staff
How We Earn Your Support
FAC works to make government more accountable to you by defending your right to criticize government and by making government more open, transparent and responsive to the people. Here are some recent news updates:
2023 FAC News Highlights
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Case
Temecula Residents Sue School Board and its President for First Amendment and Brown Act Violations
Two Temecula residents sued the school district and its Board of Trustees for violating their rights by ejecting them from school board meetings without cause.
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Advocacy
Groups Object to Alameda District Attorney’s Refusal to Allow Journalist to Attend Press Conference
Emilie Raguso of the Berkeley Scanner was turned away from a press conference while other journalists were allowed to enter.
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Case
FAC, ACLU Sue City of Fresno for Open Meetings Law Violation
The city has been holding secret budget negotiations in violation of the Brown Act, California’s open meetings law.
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Advocacy
Coalition Urges Huntington Beach City Council to Reject Proposed Book Ban
The groups write this proposal would impose an “unconstitutional censorship regime on the people’s right to access library books and materials protected by the First Amendment.”
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Legislation
FAC Opposes Legislation that Would Weaken Police Transparency
Proposal would give a major police oversight agency a carve-out from California Public Records Act obligations.
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Advocacy
FAC and ACLU of Northern California Welcome Mendocino County’s Repeal of Public Records Fee Ordinance
The ordinance authorized the county to charge as much as $150/hour for staff time to locate, review, or redact documents people asked for under the California Public Records Act.