Tag: publicrecords

US Politics

The Dangerous Assault on California's Right to Know: How AB 1821 Threatens Democratic Transparency

A California lawmaker proposes allowing public agencies to charge uncapped fees for records requests exceeding two hours of staff time, claiming it targets system abusers but risking the constitutional right to government transparency. This dangerous assault on accountability threatens to price out ordinary citizens from accessing public information, eroding the very foundations of democratic oversight and civic engagement.

US Politics

The California Paywall: How AB 1821 Would Make Government Secrecy a Commodity for the Rich

A California legislator has introduced a bill that would drastically increase the cost of accessing public records, effectively pricing out ordinary citizens from government transparency. This assault on the Public Records Act is a direct attack on the foundational principles of democratic accountability, threatening to plunge our government into a new era of secrecy and disenfranchisement.

US Politics

The Perilous Push to Dim California's Sunshine: AB 1821 and the Ongoing War on Transparency

A California lawmaker has retreated from amendments to the Public Records Act that would have imposed high fees for 'commercial purpose' requests and granted counties new powers to deny access. This repeated assault on the bedrock principle of government transparency is a chilling betrayal of the public's right to know and a direct threat to the health of our democracy.