A state Senate bill that calls for a feasibility study of commercial messages on California license plates is two votes away from going to the governor.
Tag: Terry Francke
Posted inCountywide, Huntington Beach, Investigative, Top Stories
Late Communications Reveal Gap in Brown Act
The Brown Act has nothing to say about so-called “late communications,” reports, correspondence or emails that come in too late to be included in the normal council meeting agenda packet. As Huntington Beach example shows, they can contain crucial information that the public doesn’t see.
Posted inWestminster
D.A.’s Relaxed View of the Brown Act Invites Abuses
Rackauckas decides Westminster City Council did not violate Brown Act.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Top Stories
Does California Need Its Petitioning Secrecy Law?
Recent Supreme Court ruling flies in the face of the state law, which exempts signers of referendums and recall efforts from the Open Records Act.
Posted inCountywide, Government, Investigative, Top Stories
Millions of California Public Records Have Been Shredded With No One Really Watching
Advances in technology make it possible to inexpensively store records. Yet cities still choose to destroy old documents, mainly because officials want to protect themselves in the event of a lawsuit.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Top Stories
A First Amendment Lawyer’s Take on Punishing the ‘Irvine 11’
The one-year suspension of the Muslim Student Union at UC Irvine following the disruption of the Israeli ambassador’s speech raises two important First Amendment issues.
Posted inAnaheim, Fullerton
Anaheim Can’t Get Its Public Record Act Together
The city is in the midst of a drawn-out process of transferring paper records to computer. Meantime, officials are seemingly unable to handle even the most basic request in a timely fashion.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Top Stories
Who Says You Can’t Speak Your Mind at a Public Meeting
Voice of OC open government consultant weighs in on a recent Brown Act battle at Santa Ana City Hall.
Posted inSanta Ana
The Law Behind a Recent Public Records Showdown
Voice of OC reporters show up at city hall and demand to see readily accessible records. City officials tell us that we have to make an appointment. Whose side does the law support?
