From Voice of Orange County: Orange County taxpayers could pay a $1-million legal tab for the Sierra Club because the county Board of Supervisors lost a court battle this week seeking to protect exclusive access to digital maps of the county for business groups and block free access for the public.
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Read More… from OC supervisors could owe Sierra Club $1 million in legal fees
From Central Valley Business Times: Orange County’s attempt to get more money from people trying to access its database of information about land parcels is contrary to the law, the California Supreme Court says.
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Read More… from California Supreme Court sides with public on cost-of-records case
From Courthouse News Service: A government watchdog sued San Diego for records on a public spat between Mayor Bob Filner and the city attorney. San Diegans for Open Government sued the city in Superior Court.
It seeks a transcript of a closed-session meeting where Filner ejected Assistant City Attorney Andrew Jones for supposed "disruptive behavior."
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Read More… from Government watchdog sues San Diego for public records
From Contra Costa Times: SACRAMENTO — In a resounding victory for open government advocates and the California media, Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature on Thursday backed away from plans to make the state’s open-records law essentially optional for cities and other local agencies.
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Read More… from Legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown back down on attempt to weaken open records law
From The Republic: SACRAMENTO, California — Cities and counties could dramatically restrict the information they release to the public without explanation under a bill approved by the state Legislature and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown as part of the state budget package.
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From KPBS: Last-minute language introduced into a trailer bill to California’s state budget would seriously threaten government transparency.
Peter Scheer, executive director of California’s First Amendment Coalition, said the amendment is meant to cut costs, but it would actually eliminate the public’s ability to get information with public records requests.
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Read More… from Budget bill threatens public records access in California
From Daily Democrat: Cities and counties could dramatically restrict the information they release to the public without explanation under a bill approved by the state Legislature and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown.
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Read More… from Public records law ‘eviscerated’ by budget bill
From Mercury News: Legislation tucked into the state budget bill would “eviscerate” the public’s ability to track tax dollars and hold local officials accountable, open government advocates charged Friday.
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Read More… from California public records law ‘eviscerated’ in budget bill, critics charge
We’re sorry we missed our usual State FOIA Friday last week (May 17) but we were otherwise occupied in New Orleans for the annual FOI Summit.
A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week. While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives.
UW-Madison seeks limits on open records regarding research
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