California was a model for transparency. Now the Capitol operates in the dark

CA was a model for transparency. Now the Capitol operates in the dark

Dan Walters Commentary: California’s new maps are being drafted in secret, a sharp contrast with the months-long public deliberations four years ago of the state’s redistricting commission, resulting in the current maps.

California was a model for transparency. Now the Capitol operates in the dark

California was once a national leader in requiring public officials to conduct their business — really our business — in public. Beginning with the Ralph M. Brown Act of 1953, which imposed strict limits on secret meetings by local governments, California’s Legislature adopted several “sunshine bills,” as they were dubbed. The Bagley-Keene Act extended the Brown Act’s open meeting requirements to state agencies, while the Public Records Act guar…

California Was a Model for Transparency. Now the Capitol Operates in the Dark

This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California was once a national leader in requiring public officials to conduct their business — really our business — in public. By Dan Walters CalMatters Opinion Beginning with the Ralph M. Brown Act of 1953, which imposed strict limits on secret meetings by local governments, California’s Legislature adopted several “sunshine bills,” as they were dubbed. Th…