The county district attorney wrote a letter saying a citizens group had valid documentation of a claim that the trustees of the Gavilan College board violated the state’s open meetings law, the Brown Act, when approving a pay increase for the school president. -db From the Gilroy Dispatch, May 29, 2012, by Kollin Kosmicki. Full story
A federal appeals court ruled against the Chicago Tribune in its quest for secure records from the University of Illinois relating to the school’s preferential review process for applicants for admission with connections to influential supporters. The court said the case belonged in state court under state open records laws. -db From the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, May 24, 2012, by You-Jin Han. Full story
A catastrophic Pacific Gas and Electric 2010 pipeline explosion in San Bruno, CA that killed eight and wiped out 35 homes did not provide sufficient fuel for a transparency measure that required utility regulators to supply investigation orders and accident reports to the public. The bill failed in the state Senate. -db From the Los Angeles Times, May 21, 201. Full story
Tougher stance on pot shops won out during a Los Angeles City Council meeting that raised questions about whether it was a open meeting violation for council members to huddle during a recess. Under California’s open meeting law, the Brown Act, council members must discuss public business in open sessions. -db From a commentary in the LA Weekly, May 17 2012, by Simone Wilson. Full story
The Palo Alto Weekly is asking the Palo Alto schools superintendent to stop sending secret weekly memos to school trustees. The newspaper claims that the memos exclude the public from the deliberative process thus violating California’s open meeting law, the Brown Act. The newspaper cited the state attorney general’s handbook on the Brown Act that warns against using confidential memos. -db From Palo Alto Weekly, May 15, 2012, by Palo Alto Weekly staff. Full story