Providing records and information to the public can be time consuming, expensive and legally risky, said award-winning journalist Miranda Spivack at a recent event hosted by the San Francisco Public Press.
Media
After Journalist Arrests, State Legislation Aims to Protect Reporter Access to Protests
Freedom of information advocates and journalists have criticized a number of instances in which law enforcement officers arrested, detained or even injured reporters at work covering protests in California. In response, state Sen. Mike McGuire authored SB 98, which aims to codify journalists’ right to access demonstrations.
Open Government
State Senator Who Made Police Disciplinary Records Public Pushes Transparency Expansion
State Sen. Nancy Skinner wrote SB 1421 to open up law enforcement disciplinary records. In 2020, she moved to expand that legislation to grant access to records about officers who engaged in biased or discriminatory behavior or used excessive or unreasonable force.
Utilities
Reporter Investigates Firing of Utility Regulator’s Director After She Uncovered Missing $200 Million
After she pointed to millions of dollars in uncollected fees for public services and alleged serious mismanagement problems, the executive director of California’s utility regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission, was fired. Commissioners said Alice Stebbins had misled the public about missing funds and accused her of favoritism in hiring. But an investigation by the Bay City News Foundation and ProPublica looked into the dismissal, and found the director had been right about the missing money.
City Hall
With Budget Cuts, Can the Ethics Commission Still Counter S.F. Corruption?
Members of the San Francisco Ethics Commission let out a sigh of relief last week when they learned from Mayor London Breed’s budget proposal that their funding would be sliced by 3.3%, far less than the 10% they had been expecting. But they warned that even the smaller-than-expected cuts would still have an impact on the political watchdog group’s effectiveness.
Open Government
San Francisco’s Move to Delay Public Records Disclosures Criticized
The city last week warned that public records will likely be delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is already having an impact on journalists’ ability to access and disseminate public health information.
Government & Politics
Justice Dept. Responds to Public Press Request for Mueller Report on Trump
We filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the complete report by Robert S. Mueller III hours after Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary of the special counsel’s investigation into President Trump and his 2016 campaign. Here’s the official reply — and the 448-page redacted report, which was released April 18.
Elections
S.F. Voters Want Tough Data Privacy Rules, But Obstacles Loom
Voter-approved Proposition B mandates that San Francisco create what supporters say would be the toughest data-protection policy of any U.S. city, and would go beyond California’s landmark Consumer Privacy Act. Now comes the hard part: writing the rules that will overcome legal, technical and enforcement challenges.
Economy & Business
Emails Show How Flood Study Finally Became Public
Officials offer explanations for 18-month delay in releasing city-funded study that foresees serious climate-related flooding in Mission Bay in the decades ahead. The release followed a public-records request by the Public Press.
2016 Non-partisan Voter Guide
$2 Million Fills War Chests of S.F. Candidates as Races Heat Up
With two months until Election Day, more than $2 million has been amassed in the collective war chests for local candidate campaigns, 90 percent of which has been raised for six Board of Supervisors seats.
Data Privacy
What Don’t We Know About Campaign Finance?
The Public Press spent six months digging and sorting, and many hours talking with staff at the Ethics Commission for clarification on the best ways to find and distill the information on the 2015 elections.
