http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/weblog en jshiroma@durationpress.com Copyright 2008 2008-07-29T06:16:00-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/call_for_nominations_for_cfac_1st_amendment_and_foi_awards/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/call_for_nominations_for_cfac_1st_amendment_and_foi_awards/#When:06:16:00Z The California First Amendment Coalition and the California Society of Newspaper Editors are soliciting nominations for the 2008 Bill Farr Award for furthering the principles of free speech, free press and public access to government. In addition, CFAC is seeking nominations for its annual Beacon awards, presented to those who have fought to keep government open, and for its annual Darkness award to those who have resisted the public’s right to know. The Awards The Bill Farr Award is given each year to an individual or group who has performed exemplary work to advance free speech, free press and public access to government. The award is given in honor of former Los Angeles Herald Examiner Reporter Bill Farr, who went to jail in 1971 after refusing to reveal sources of information in the infamous Charles Manson Case. Qualifications for the award are accomplishment, service or other contributions to “the people’s right to know” in California. The winner will be an individual or institution whose actions deserve public honor and emulation. Areas vital in the struggle for open government include access to public meetings, public records and courts; defense of citizens’ right to freedom of speech; defense of journalists’ rights; and defense of the right to “blow the whistle” and alert the public to matters of common concern. Last year’s award went posthumously to Chauncey Bailey, editor of the Oakland Post. Beacon awards are given to other individuals or organizations who have fought to keep government meetings or records open to the public and by supporting the First Amendment’s fundamental right of free speech. Generally, the awards will be given for achievement in 2007-2008, but longer-term achievement also can be recognized. Previous awards have been given to journalists, civic activists, organizations, attorneys, and government officials who have gone above and beyond the norm to assure government transparency and free speech/free press. Last year’s recipients included state Sen. Gloria Romero and Assemblyman Mark Leno for efforts to reopen the hearings and records of civilian review boards that consider discipline of peace officers; Associated Press National Writer Martha Mendoza for significant coverage relying heavily on public records and freedom of information laws; and Santa Cruz County resident Bob Suhr for use of the California Public Records Act to unearth the untold truth about the cost of public employee retirement and health benefits in the county. The Darkness award is reserved for individuals, government agencies or other institutions that have acted to thwart free speech, public participation in government or access to meetings or public records. Past recipients have included Ron Burkle, for attempts to make divorce records secret, and the state Department of Corrections for continued resistance to reporter access to prisoners. How to submit Send nominations by e-mail to awards@CFAC.org, by regular mail to AWARDS, c/o the California First Amendment Coalition, 534 Fourth St., Suite B, San Rafael, CA 94901. Deadline Nominations are due Sept. 1, 2008. Presentation The awards will be presented at CFAC’s annual Free Speech and Open Government Assembly at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Oct. 17 & 18. 2008-07-29T06:16:00-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/governor_signs_bill_prohibiting_confidential_contracts/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/governor_signs_bill_prohibiting_confidential_contracts/#When:00:00:00Z Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday signed into law legislation that amends the Public Records Act to forbid enforcement of confidentiality provisions in contracts signed by government agencies. The bill, SB 1696 by Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), specifically prohibits a state or local agency from entering into an agreement that makes information confidential or conditions disclosure on the permission of the other party to the contract. In addition, the bill would specify that regardless of any contract term to the contrary, a contract for the purpose of conducting a review, audit or report between a private entity and a state or local agency is subject to the same disclosure requirements as other public records. SB 1696 becomes law on Jan 1, 2009. 2008-07-04T00:00:00-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/schwarzenegger_signs_law_plugging_brown_act_loophole/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/schwarzenegger_signs_law_plugging_brown_act_loophole/#When:23:53:01Z Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday signed legislation to strengthen the Brown Act’s prohibition against serial meetings. SB 1732 explicitly overturns a 2006 court decision, Wolfe v. City of Fremont, which ruled that communications among members of a legislative body do not run afoul of the bar on “serial meetings” unless the members actually reach a decision on how to vote on a matter before the body. The new law provides: “A majority of the members of a legislative body shall not, outside a meeting authorized by this chapter, use a series of communications of any kind, directly or through intermediaries, to discuss, deliberate, or take action on any item of business that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.” SB 1732, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, also amends the California Public Records Act to clarify that a local agency may not discriminate in allowing access to public records among members of a multi-member body. The Governor’s signature is an important victory for the California Newspaper Publishers Ass’n, which had worked closely with Romero on SB 1732. The text of the law is here. 2008-07-03T23:53:01-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/how_to_test_website_from_behind_great_firewall/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/how_to_test_website_from_behind_great_firewall/#When:18:26:00Z How to test website from behind “Great Firewall” Websitepulse.com, a commercial server and website testing service, has a tool you can use to test the accessibility, from behind China’s “Great Firewall,” of a specific website. The tool not only shows whether a site is blocked, but also compares load times from an internet connection inside China and selected connections outside China. Here’s the page on websitepulse. 2008-06-25T18:26:00-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/ethics_and_transparency_in_californias_legal_system_panel/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/ethics_and_transparency_in_californias_legal_system_panel/#When:20:16:01Z 2008-06-24T20:16:01-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/cfac_excutive_director_discusses_chinas_internet_censorship_on_radio/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/cfac_excutive_director_discusses_chinas_internet_censorship_on_radio/#When:21:57:00Z CFAC’s Executive Director, Peter Scheer, discusses China’s internet censorship on KALW in a program produced by New American Media. Scheer also talks about CFAC’s petition to the US Trade Representative to bring a case against China to the WTO, alleging that China’s censorship is a violation of free trade. Hear the radio interview here. 2008-06-23T21:57:00-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/documentary_about_blacklisted_screenwriter_opening_in_la_on_june_27th/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/documentary_about_blacklisted_screenwriter_opening_in_la_on_june_27th/#When:22:38:00Z Documentary about blacklisted screenwriter, Dalton Trumbo, opening in Los Angeles on June 27th, and following in Pasadena and Encino on July 4th, San Francisco on August 15th. ‘TRUMBO’ is a unique film that tells the story of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, one of the Hollywood 10 who was subpoenaed 1947 by the Committee on Un-American Activities, but would not be intimidated by the witch hunt. Trumbo refused to answer whether or not he was a member of the Communist Party and was, subsequently, black-listed from Hollywood studios. Trumbo spent a year in prison for contempt of Congress and in 1956, under an assumed name, won an Oscar for ‘The Brave One’. Among his most famous credits are ‘Roman Holiday’ and ‘Spartacus’. ‘TRUMBO’ is based on the play written by his son and inspired by Dalton’s letters during this time. The film features an A-list cast, including Joan Allen, Michael Douglas, Nathan Lane, Liam Neeson and Donald Sutherland. This film is a tribute to the First Amendment and free speech, while exploring the repercussion of intrusions on our civil liberties. To view more info about the film visit http://www.trumbothemovie.com 2008-06-13T22:38:00-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/unanimous_supreme_court_oks_duplicative_foia_suit/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/unanimous_supreme_court_oks_duplicative_foia_suit/#When:16:50:00Z The Supreme Court ruled today in a federal FOIA case that a person contesting an agency’s denial of a record request may file his own suit for disclosure, even though he seeks the very same records that the agency denied in a prior case in which the agency prevailed in court. The case is Taylor v. Sturgell.  Here is the text of the Court’s opinion. -PS 2008-06-12T16:50:00-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/update_on_open_government_legisation_in_sacramento/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/update_on_open_government_legisation_in_sacramento/#When:22:52:00Z SB 1370 SB 1370, the bill sponsored by Senator Leland Yee to protect high school and college journalism instructors from being disciplined or removed for protecting their student’s freedom of the press, will be heard in the Assembly Judiciary Committee on June 10th. The bill passed out of the Senate and now must be heard in the Assembly Committee and, then, voted on by the Assembly. SB 1370 comes in the wake of 12 documented cases of journalism advisors being punished after refusing to pull critical stories written by student journalists. AB 2379 AB 2379 will also be heard on June 10th in the Senate Judiciary Committee, after having passed out of the Assembly. AB 2379 is a bill written by Assemblymember Noreen Evan and co-sponsored by the California Newspaper Publishers’ Association. It attempts to streamline the court records request process and eliminate unnecessary waiting times. The bill would eliminate appeals of orders to unseal court records that were improperly sealed. This will bring about quicker writ review and eliminate delays. It is also similar to the process that has been speeding up California Public Records Act requests since 1989. 2008-06-03T22:52:00-08:00 http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/responses_to_peter_scheers_commentary_on_vallejos_bankruptcy/ http://www.cfac.org/content/index.php/site/responses_to_peter_scheers_commentary_on_vallejos_bankruptcy/#When:18:58:00Z In response to Peter’s recent commentary on Vallejo’s Bankruptcy. For most cities staff compensation is the city’s biggest expenditure. There should be more room for citizen oversight and input. One of the most important aspects in need of close scrutiny are a city’s revenue projections. I would guess when Vallejo negotiated and approved staff compensation packages their revenue projections showed they could afford it. Most likely, the public that went along with the raises thought the city could afford it, not realizing the revenue projections were overly optimistic (which seems to be common when times are good). It took me 3 years to get my city to describe their revenue projection model to me. I would assume other cities are similarly secretive or cryptic with their revenue projection models and assumptions. This can be a real problem because any long-term budget can be “balanced” by playing with revenue projections. Cities can make a reasoned argument to keep negotiations secret. Keeping revenue projection models secret is inexcusable. -Kevin Cummins Encinitas, CA From The Huffington Post: - A suggestion for a different way to fund public employee pensions: instead of the government entity gauranteeing a specific monthly dollar amount in retirement, to be paid out of tax income, have the government entity pay a negotiated amount into a pension fund that cannot be tapped by any government bureaucracy. The pay-out to retirees might fluctuate with ups and downs of the market, but even if the governmental body declared bankruptcy, the retirement funds would still be safe and protected, from all but inflation and market vagaries. My own pension resembles what I have described, and it works pretty well. The CEO of the company I worked for cannot steal it for his golden parachute, and the company cannot use the pension funds to cover operating expenses. From the Sacramento Bee editorial: - Good article! I would go one more step & say that the Public, who pays the bills, should be allowed to vote for approval or disapproval of the union contracts. Right now, these bloated contracts are being approved by the same people who are taking campaign contributions from the unions - a clear conflict of interest. Let us vote - we will derail this gravy train. - At one time, I believed in the current system because we elect these officials to do this job for us and we should let them do the job without being micromanaged. Unfortunately they have proven unable to stand up to the Unions, or unable to resist conflict of interest donations leading them to a sense of being in debt to the Unions, or for whatever reason they are unable to put the numbers together and see what bad financial decisions they are making. It is time for those who pay for the services to see what we are getting and at what price, BEFORE we sign the contract. 2008-05-21T18:58:00-08:00