San Francisco Board of Supervisors

[Resolution supporting State Constitutional Amendment 7.]

Passed February 1, 2002

Resolution supporting State Constitutional Amendment 7 which would strengthen the California Public Records Act as currently proposed by State Senate President John Burton, and Assembly members Keeley, Kehoe, Papan and Shelley.

WHEREAS, Local and regional government agencies currently may claim that the public interest is best served by withholding a record, and the requester must prove otherwise; and

WHEREAS, Under SCA 7 current burden of proof standards would be transferred onto government agencies that would have to prove that the public interest is best served by withholding records; and,

WHEREAS, The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is committed to the public’s right to information and is dedicated to improving the flow of information between government agencies and the public; and,

WHEREAS, Supporting the original language of SCA 7 is critical because Legislators are most likely to receive pressure to weaken the language of SCA 7, or to keep it off the ballot entirely; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors support State Constitutional Amendment 7 which would strengthen the California Public Records Act as it is currently proposed by State Senate President John Burton, and Assembly members Keeley, Kehoe, Papan and Shelley.