Brown Act – California Globe

Frequently Asked Questions about the Brown Act Open Meeting Law

January 27, 2024 2:45 amJanuary 27, 2024 2:46 am

What is the Ralph M. Brown Act? The Brown Act was adopted in 1953 and applies to open meetings at the county and city levels of local government. Where is the Brown Act found in the law? It is found...

Sacramento City Manager Pushed for $20K Raise Before Delivering Bad News: $50 Million Budget Black Hole

January 25, 2024 10:40 amJanuary 26, 2024 6:36 am

The City of Sacramento is facing a budget deficit of more than $50 million this year – up from a $24 billion deficit last year – resulting in a hiring freeze, and a travel and office supply freeze, City Manager...

Why Is Sacramento Paying City Manager Howard Chan $493,655?

December 19, 2023 8:59 amDecember 20, 2023 7:07 am

Why do city managers receive such exorbitant pay? Across the state, city managers receive significantly larger salaries than the governor. While city managers of any city are responsible for managing multiple departments, employees, budgets, etc…, the governor is responsible for...

City Of Fresno, Fresno City Council Sued Over Alleged Brown Act Violations

November 18, 2023 2:32 amNovember 18, 2023 2:33 am

The ACLU of Northern California and First Amendment Coalition filed a lawsuit against the City of Fresno and the Fresno City Council earlier this week over alleged violations of the Brown Act. According to the ACLU of Northern California V....

Gov. Newsom Signs Bill to Re-define State’s Open Meeting Act

August 23, 2022 7:24 am

A bill to redefine California’s open meeting act, the The Brown Act, has been signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Senate Bill 1100, authored by Sen. Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley) and Assemblyman Evan Low’s (D-Silicon Valley), authorizes the presiding member of...

Lawsuit Brews Over SF School Board Decision To Close Schools on Two Muslim Holidays

August 19, 2022 11:36 am

A decision earlier this month by the San Francisco School Board to allow two days off this year for two Islamic holy days in April and June faced multiple new legal challenges this week as many parental, religious, and legal...

California Democrats Re-define State’s Open Meeting Act

August 8, 2022 2:30 amAugust 9, 2022 7:11 am

Only three months ago, the Globe reported that State Capitol leadership was still requiring social distancing in committee hearing rooms, greatly diminishing available seating for lobbyists and members of the public, and denying many access to their elected representatives –...