A San Diego open government litigation group has sued the State of California for the recent budget-triggered suspension of key elements of the Ralph M. Brown Act. The argument: Proposition 59 of 2004, passed by more than 83 percent of the statewide vote, amended the state constitution to require that thenceforth any legislation limiting access to government meetings or records be accompanied by stated findings showing what public interest it is that needs protection and how the access restriction protects that interest. But the bill used to shut down the Brown Act requirements to post descriptive agendas and to disclose closed session actions contained no such findings, and that makes the budget action unconstitutional, says San Diegans for Open Government v. State of California. See press release and lawsuit here.
