Public Access to Government Records
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The California Public Records Act (CPRA) is the Freedom of Information law for California. It provides a right of access to records in the possession of state and local governments (but excluding the state Legislature and the courts). Generally speaking, all records are "public" and subject to the CPRA; however, many such "public" records nonetheless may be withheld on the basis of specific "exemptions," some of which are stated in the CPRA itself, while others are in special-interest statutes unrelated to the CPRA. (See Secrecy Statutes.)

Below are CFAC's legal resources for using the CPRA:

• CPRA Text
• CFAC’s CPRA Primer
• Attorney General's Guide to the CPRA
• Frequently Asked Questions About the CPRA
• CFAC’s video podcast on the CPRA
• CFAC’s Asked & Answered
• How to Request Access to Records
• Sample CPRA request letter
• Attorney General’s Opinions