Brown Act

The Brown Act enforcement bill, SB 1003, by Democratic Senator Leland Yee, passed the legislature today and is on its way to Governor’s desk.  The Assembly voted to approve on a 62-12 vote and the Senate approved the measure on a 24-14 vote. The bill will extend the time allowed for submitting a complaint to within nine months of the alleged Brown Act violation. The CNPA, one of the bills sponsors, explained the origins of the

The Watsonville City Council is among local government agencies recently pledging to uphold transparency and the Brown Act after funding for the measure was axed from the state budget. Watsonville council members said the cost of enforcing the act was insignificant given the importance of keeping the public involved and informed. -db From the Watsonville Patch, July 16, 2012, by Jennifer Squires. Full story      

Has the Brown Act open-meeting law been suspended?  There have been cuts to the state budget that stop  reimbursements to local governments to cover the costs of  posting agendas, which is  mandated by the Brown Act.  Those portions of the Brown Act are not currently enforceable, though local governments would be foolish not to continue to provide notice. In any case, Gov. Brown’s tax-raising ballot initiative, if enacted, would constitutionalize the Brown Act’s notice requirement,