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open meetings

Carson mayor under investigation after allegations he used mute button to stifle public comment

donal brown February 6, 2010

The District Attorney is investigating a possible Brown Act violation as the Carson mayor has reportedly used a mute button to silence speakers at city council meetings. In November the City Council had given the major the authority to used the button in a 3-2 vote. -db KPCC Southern California Public Radio February 6, 2010 The District Attorney’s Office is investigating whether Carson Mayor Jim Dear violated a state law by using a mute button

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Modesto City Council meeting cancelled to avoid open government violation

donal brown February 6, 2010

The Modesto City Council will still be eating lunch together at the annual Chamber of Commerce luncheon which costs $40 to attend. But they will no longer call it a city council meeting for the mayor’s annual speech since California’s Brown Act prohibits charging the public to attend council meetings. -db The Modesto Bee February 6, 2010 By Leslie Albrecht Modesto leaders sent mixed messages this week about the mayor’s State of the City address,

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Texas cities forced to withdraw from free speech case

donal brown February 6, 2010

Since government agencies cannot suffer First Amendment rights violations, the Texas attorney general said that they cannot particpate in a case against the state’s open meetings law. City council members are contesting the law saying their free speech rights are being denied as the law prohibits government officials from conducting business in secret. -db The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press February 3, 2010 By Miranda Fleschert Four Texas cities that filed a federal lawsuit

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California: Private water board dinners now open to public

donal brown November 12, 2009

The Castaic Lake Water Agency has invited the public to its dinners before board meetings. Despite assurances that no water business was on the table, the dinners could lead to violations of the Brown Act, the state’s open government law. -DB The Signal Santa Clarita Valley November 12, 2009 By Brian Charles For years, Castaic Lake Water Agency board members have had private dinners together before their public board meetings. Until two weeks ago, those dinners

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L.A. City Council tries to silence gadflies

donal brown July 31, 2009

The Los Angeles City Council passed a rule saying that members of the public who engage in “inappropriate” behavior will be thrown out of council meetings without warning. -DB LA Weekly  July 30, 2009  By Patrick Range McDonald In a move bound to anger gadflies across Los Angeles, the L.A. City Council has approved tough gagging rules to keep members of an apparently disorderly public from speaking too much of what’s on their minds. The unanimously

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