California: Long Beach wants state court to keep names of officers involved in shootings secret

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 [...]

California: Santa Clara withholds 49ers stadium security report

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 [...]

LA Times sues for county child death records

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

Should police name officers who use deadly force?

The practice of withholding the names of police officers who use deadly force is coming under scrutiny from the American Civil Liberties Union, which says it might go to court to enforce the state’s public records act. On Monday a San Francisco officer shot and killed a 19-year-old man who allegedly fired at police in [...]

California appeals court finds county pensions are public

A California appeals court ruled that the pension records of retired county employees are public upholding a lower court ruling that supported government accountability. The appeals court said the lower court was correct in finding that the  public’s interest in the records outweighed the privacy of retirees. The association representing the retirees argued that disclosure [...]

California court rules Public Records Act not cover GIS database

A California appeals court ruled that a public agency does not have to provide public access to  a geographic information system or GIS database under the state’s  Public Records Act. The court denied the Sierra Club’s bid to make public the Orange County Landbase, a parcel map showing over 640,000 parcels with street addresses and [...]

California public universities agree to transparency for foundations

California state universities have opened the door to transparency for campus foundations with a compromise with state Senator Leland Yee of San Francisco. The agreement will protect the privacy of most donors but allow disclosure of other financial details. The foundations and operations such as campus bookstores would operate under the California Public Records Act. The agreement [...]

California: Sacramento County ordered to turn over pension data

A California appeals court has ordered Sacramento County’s retirement system to release pension data to the Sacramento Bee. The Bee and the First Amendment Coalition had brought a lawsuit to reveal data about the pension benefits ncluding the names and benefits of individual members. Said Joyce Terhaar of The Bee, “It’s part of our mission [...]

Editorial argues for revealing California Legislators’ calendars

In an editorial the San Jose Mercury News argued that current law requires state legislators to open their appointment calendars to public scrutiny. The editorial stated that with 40 percent of legislation introduced in the last two-year session written by special interests, it is essential for the public to know how this happens and the [...]

Challenge mounted against secrecy for California legislators’ calendars

California legislators have rejected a request from media and open government groups to open their appointment calendars to the public. In a letter denying the request, the legislators said they could not provide information on appointments out of “concerns regarding privacy, security and legislative privilege.” The refusal may be challenged in court. The San Jose [...]

CSU foundations must be more open to public, panel says

More than 90 foundations and private enterprises operate on California State University campuses, but it’s unclear how much of the $1.2 billion under their control should be subject to public scrutiny, an internal audit concludes. The audit panel, consisting of four campus presidents, five finance officers, a vice president and a student, said that accounting [...]

For these seven, open government is a way of life

In recognition of Sunshine Week, the Sacramento Bee’s Marjie Lundstrom has identified seven Californians who doggedly fight for open government. Heroes or kooks, she says, they share a common quality: They don’t take no for an answer in their persistent efforts to pry open government for all to see. Their drive for accountability has prompted [...]

Berkeley’s new sunshine rules: a step forward or a detour?

The city of Berkeley has adopted an ordinance that expands access to documents, expands live streaming of meetings and bars confidential legal settlements. But, according to the local Web site Berkeleyside, it also has potential to weaken support for a more far-reaching sunshine ordinance schedule for a public vote in November 2012. The city ordinance, [...]

Orange County: Government e-mails not always part of public record

Californians Aware, an open government advocate, is challenging local governments in Orange County to make e-mails conducting official business available to the public. -db Voice of OC November 11, 2010 By Adam Elmahrek Although email has firmly supplanted printed letters and memos as our most common form of written communication, it remains an elusive public [...]

California appeals court rules media no right to records of investigation of alleged kidnapper’s parole

The Third District Court of Appeals ruled that under the state’s Public Records Act, the Inspector General did not have to release the details of an investigation of parole authorities who during Phillip Garrido’s parole did not discover details of the kidnapping of an 11-year-old girl. -db Metropolitan News-Enterprise October 27, 2010 By a MetNews [...]

Santa Clarita group using public records law to obtain answers on library takeover

A Santa Clarita group opposed to the takeover of three libraries now under the Los Angeles County system has asked a court to order the release of all documents related to the takeover. -db Santa Clarita Valley Signal October 14, 2010 By Natalie Everett A newly formed nonprofit aiming to keep Santa Clarita’s three libraries [...]

Schwarzenegger vetoes law to open donation records of public university auxiliaries

Putting privacy and fundraising over transparency, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed transparency for the donation records of auxiliaries of the University of California and California State University. -db Central California Business Times September 30, 2010 SACRAMENTO –– A bill that would require the various foundations and other types of auxiliaries that are closely associated with [...]

Los Angeles County postpones release of salary information of highest-paid employees

A Los Angeles County lawyer said they are delaying the release of the names and salaries of its highest paid employees out of concern for the workers’ safety. -db Los Angeles Times September 27, 2010 By Rong-Gong Lin II Los Angeles County officials are taking steps to keep secret the names and salaries of some [...]

Public records requests laid bare corruption in small, poor Southern California city

Two Los Angeles Times reporters knew they were on to something when the Bell, California city clerk told them they would have to wait ten days to receive records that should be produced immediately. They threatened to invoke the California Public Records Act to obtain the records that showed city officials were giving themselves outlandish [...]

Berkeley considers new sunshine ordinance

The watchdog columnist for the San Jose Mercury News says that the new sunshine ordinance that will go before the voters at a yet-to-be-determined time will improve open government. Alameda is also considering a new ordinance much needed in a city where a well-compensated fire chief was filling up his personal car at city gas [...]

Reporter called racist for requesting college trustees’ e-mails

When a reporter tried to get e-mails of three trustees of the Peralta Community College District running for re-election or in one case for mayor, two of the trustees reacted by expressing their feelings that racist or right-wing motives fueled the e-mail requests. -db Contra Costa Times Commentary September 15, 2010 By Katy Murphy Matt [...]

Chula Vista school board: Pre-meeting sessions raise questions about open meeting violations

The Chula Vista Elementary school board says that their gatherings before board meetings in the superintendent’s office to eat take-out food and to ask one-on-one questions of the staff are open to the public and not in violation of California’s Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law. -db San Diego Union-Tribune September 2, 2010 By [...]

Supreme Court ruling on employer montoring of e-mail messages leaves intact right of public’s right to know

While ruling that  an Ontario police department armed with a legitimate purpose had the right to inspect an officer’s text messages, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the pubic’s right to know under the California Public Records Act. The Court said that police officers should realize their writings may be subject to public viewing. -db Washington Post [...]

Southern California: Private Catholic high school blocks access to coach’s punishment

A Catholic high school refuses to release the details of a football coach’s punishment for a recruiting violation claiming  the school is private and not subject to the California Public Records Act. -db Los Angeles Times Opinion June 13, 2010 By Eric Sondheimer Transparency and openness are virtues that parents and students expect from their [...]

Orange County court denies Sierra Club low cost access to parcel map system

An Orange County Superior Court judge ruled in a lawsuit brought by the Sierra Club  that the California Public Records Act (CPRA)  did not require the county to provide its Landbase parcel map system at little or no cost. In a ruling last year a state appeals court ruled in a First Amendment Coalition lawsuit [...]

First Amendment Coalition & SacBee file suit for names of Sacramento County retirees with highest pensions

The Sacramento Bee and the First Amendment Coalition have filed a lawsuit to force the Sacramento County Employees’ Retirement System to release the names of all its retirees with pensions of over $100,000. -db The Sacramento Bee April 16, 2010 By Robert Lewis The Sacramento Bee and the First Amendment Coalition on Thursday filed a [...]

Open government advocates sue California State University campus over lack of transparency on Palin contract

Californians Aware is suing Cal State Stanislaus over their failure to provide documents about the fee they are paying Sarah Palin to speak at a June 25 fundraiser. They claim that the public’s right to know outweighs privacy concerns. -db San Francisco Chronicle April 17, 2010 By Nanette Asimov In the latest salvo in the [...]

Public record quest: California attorney general to probe shredding of documents relating to Palin speaker’s fee

Students from California State University Stanislaus have discovered shredded documents in the garbage concerning an upcoming speaking engagement by Sarah Palin. The university had denied that any documents existed on the Palin visit. -db San Francisco Chronicle April 14, 2010 By Wyatt Buchanan SACRAMENTO – Students at Cal State Stanislaus discovered evidence that documents related [...]

California state senator says e-mail about Palin speaking fee illegally withheld

A California state senator trying to get the California State University Stanislaus to disclose the fee it will pay Sarah Palin for speaking at a campus event in June claims that he can prove the school withheld information about the event that should be public. -db San Francisco Chronicle April 8, 2010 By Bob Egelko [...]

California state senate establishes open government committee

At the request of open government crusader Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), the Senate Rules Committee established a Select Committee on the California Public Records law and the Brown Act. The committee will work to improve transparency in the state. -db Senator Leland Yee Press Release March 25, 2010 SACRAMENTO – The Senate Rules Committee [...]

California: Media find watchdog role difficult during recession

Local and state governmental agencies blame budget cuts for their inability to provide information to the media requested under state open records laws. -db The Sacramento Bee March 15, 2010 By Charles Piller State and local government officials increasingly are blaming budget cuts and furloughs when they withhold or delay the release of information requested [...]

Los Angeles area: District Attorney crucial in keeping local government open and honest

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office has their hands full enforcing the California Public Records Act and Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law, and to make sure that public officials are acting with honesty and integrity. -db Pasadena Star-News Editorial March 14, 2010 For the most part, government acting in the open is based on [...]

Leading gubernatorial candidates Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown need to show voters, by their own actions, that they are committed to transparency in government. Promises won’t cut it.

BY PETER SCHEER—As California voters begin the process of selecting the next  Governor of the ungovernable Golden State, the leading candidates owe them a demonstration of their commitment to government transparency. All politicians are supportive of open-government “in principle;”  the question is whether they are committed in practice. The best test for that is a [...]

Tulare County: County supervisors’ dinners out may have also violated open meeting law

Records requested under the California Public Records Act show that the five supervisors plus the county administrative officer are running up excessive expense accounts and indicated that the supervisors may have violated California’s open meeting law, the Brown Act, by dining often with a voting majority. -db Visalia Times-Delta Tulare Advance-Register Editorial February 4, 2010

San Jose wants to restrict use of private e-mails to discuss official business

San Jose is proposing a disclosure policy to make sure its public officials do not use such devices as iPhones and BlackBerrys to skirt open government laws. -DB San Jose Mercury News January 21, 2010 By John Woolfolk With iPhones and BlackBerrys becoming must-have accessories, San Jose is poised to approve a groundbreaking disclosure policy [...]

California state senator asks state university to curb donor influence on curriculum

Senator Leland Yee of San Francisco has asked the administration of Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo to keep wealthy donors from influencing curriculum. The request came after the Harris Ranch Beef Company threatened to withhold a half million dollar contribution unless the university scuttled a certain guest lecture. -DB California State Senate Leland Yee, Ph.D [...]

Associated Press uncovers failure of California lawmakers to report gifts

The Associated Press used the California Public Records Act to obtain documents that show that California legislators have received gifts that they failed to report, some from lobbyists and industries with much to gain from close ties to lawmakers. -DB The San Francisco Chronicle January 15, 2010 By Judy Lin SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California [...]

Online California state records vanishing at alarming rate

With almost 90 percent of California state publications online with no print counterpart, it is clear that any of these records are disappearing regularly, and there is no legal requirement for the executive branch of state government to preserve the information. -DB Cal Watchdog Commentary January 14, 2010 By Anthony Pignataro If there’s one thing [...]

Citizen sets deadline for school district in delivering overdue salary records

Under California law, government agencies have ten days to fulfill public information requests, but as of last week, in response to a citizen’s inquiry, the Glendale Unified School District has not supplied full records of employees who make more than $100,000. -DB Glendale News Press November 23, 2009 By Max Zimbert GLENDALE — Brian Ellis’ [...]

USC journalism students fighting for death records for swine flu

Many California county health officials are discounting arguments that it is in the public interest to know who died from swine flu and refusing to release the records to journalism students from University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Journalism. In denying the requests, officials cite privacy issues and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability [...]

Next Page »