Legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown back down on attempt to weaken open records law
Source: San Jose Mercury News
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.
State lawmakers were hit with a torrent of criticism from newspapers around the state, as well opposition from everyone from liberal environmentalists to conservatives, who feared the change approved by the Legislature last week would have severely limited the public's right to know what their government is up to.
After deciding last week to pull about $20 million for local agencies to respond to requests made under the California Public Records Act -- signed by Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1968 -- Brown and Senate leaders reversed course Thursday, a day after the Assembly did the same.
The political firestorm proved too much to bear for state leaders, particularly in light of the relatively small amount of funding the state was looking to cut, which amounts to 0.02 percent of the state's general-fund budget at a time when the budget has a $1.1 billion surplus.
Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/california-budget/ci_23504279/california-public-records-funding-will-remain-after-legislature
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)One that recognizes the people's right to be informed of what their government is doing but also recognizes that government has to be allowed space to function. In my hometown, we have a local crank who has petitioned records from our city government under our state's open record laws. The number of records he has requested is really almost beyond the pale. It has something to do with a gripe he has against a local elementary school principle. The matter is now in litigation.
Anyway, the point is there has to be some kind of balance to prevent abuse from both sides.
...I agree with your view.