Disclosure of sources of income and other financial interests
Disclosure of charitable fundraising activities
Disclosure of campaign contributions
Open meeting laws
The public’s right to participate in meetings
The public’s right to access records
This publication is part of a series of resources designed to help California local officials meet both the law’s and the public’s expectations for public service.
Read more about purchasing hard copies or the right to reproduce and distribute this resource»
What legal issues do public agencies face relating to their use of social media? This paper chronicles a number of them. It also offers "dos and don'ts" advice for reaping the benefits of social media while minimizing the pitfalls.Read more »
This handy pamphlet provides a plain-language explanation of what decision-makers need to know about California's transparency laws (the Brown Act and the Public Records Act). The pamphlet is three-hole punched for easy storage in agenda binders.
The Institute is very grateful to Richards, Watson & Gershon, LLP, whose financial support of the Institute in 2010 made this pamphlet possible.
The Institute would like to thank the City Attorney's Brown Act Committee:
Michael Jenkins, City Attorney of Rolling Hills, Diamond Bar, West Hollywood and Hermosa Beach and with Jenkins and Hogin
Paul Zarefsky, Assistant City Attorney, City and County of San Francisco
Thomas D. Jex, Assistant City Attorney, Hemet and with Burke, Williams and Sorensen
Lori Barker, City Attorney, Chico
Theresa E. Fuentes, Assistant City Attorney, Pasadena
Martin Koczanowicz, City Attorney, Grover Beach and with Cota Cole & Associates
Yana Welinder, Assistant City Attorney, Auburn and with Colantuono & Levin, PC
Jonathan P. Lowell, City Attorney, Pleasanton
and Kourtney Burdick, Deputy General Counsel of the League of California Cities, for their contributions to the publication's content.Read more »
In general, the public is skeptical about people trying to curry favor with public officials through gift-giving. To understand the complex rules related to gifts, it’s helpful to first understand the key principles on which the rules are based and what the rules are intended to accomplish. Visit ILG's Gift Resource Center for more information on this topic.
What can local officials and their communities do to prevent a culture of self-interest over public interest from taking hold? What can they do to make sure abuses of authority do not occur in their communities?
When it comes to closed sessions, and confidential information learned during closed sessions, the decision to provide greater transparency must reflect the collective judgment of the decision-making body. As discussed in this column there can often be competing “right” values at stake in a situation.
(Four-page tipsheet): Provides a handy reference on the kinds of issues that ought to trigger a conversation with agency counsel or the Fair Political Practices Commission.
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