The California state legislature is making progress on a law that would make the public records of government agencies available in “open” format. The law calls for agencies to save documents in a searchable format which can be done at minimal cost. -db From TechPresident, May 24 2012, by Sarah Lai Stirland. Full story
At the insistence of The Redding Record Searchlight that records of some 2400 criminal cases were being withheld illegally, the Shasta County Superior Court finally examined their policy, found no basis for it and released the records. The court was withholding records of criminal cases involving arrest warrants. -db From The Redding Record Searchlight, May 8, 2012, by Sean Longoria. Full story
Long Beach and a police officers group are asking an appeals court to overturn a lower court ruling that the city must provide the names of officers involved in shootings. After a controversial shooting of an unarmed man in Long Beach in 2010, the Los Angeles Times asked the city to provide the identities of officers involved in shootings. The city contended that the records of shootings were part of personnel files and not for
Santa Clara is blocking access to the 49ers stadium security report when many are concerned about fan safety after some recent violence at 49ers games. Interim City Attorney Elizabeth Silver refused a public records request for a report prepared in 2009 by the now retired Santa Clara police chief. The city is concerned about releasing information about staffing that could harm law enforcement efforts. The stadium is set to open in 2015. -db From the
Frustrated by delays and heavy redactions, the Los Angeles Times is suing for the release of records concerning the deaths of children under the supervision of the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services. -db From the Los Angeles Times, September 15, 2011, by Garrett Therolf. Full story