Legislative Bulletin

CNPA’s effort to amend the California Public Records Act to better protect records requesters is on the governor’s desk. SB 1244 by Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) arose after an agency attempted to use the CPRA to obtain mandatory attorney fees against a public records requester. SB 1244 bolsters the CPRA’s protections for requesters who seek…

CNPA’s effort to cure anti-transparency legislation passed on the last day of session last year continues to the Assembly floor. SB 1087 by Senator Richard Roth (D-Riverside) amends a law enacted last year that requires secrecy by the Department of Business Oversight when the agency orders individuals to stop selling products pursuant to the Property…

Senator Kamala Harris (D-California) submitted comments to the International Trade Commission (ITC) on behalf of California newspapers asking it to reverse the countervailing and anti-dumping orders imposed by the Department of Commerce. In the letter, Senator Harris requested that the Commission “take into full consideration the negative impacts of these tariffs on the newspaper industry,…

Next Thursday, the Legislature will make decisions on hundreds of bills in the appropriations committees, including CNPA-sponsored bills AB 748 and SB 1421 which peel back some of the state’s most restrictive secrecy laws for police records. Writing in support of the bills, the Mercury News Editorial Board said, “The constant secrecy undermines confidence in…

CNPA’s sponsored bill to amend the California Public Records Act to better protect records requesters has passed out of the Assembly with no “no” votes. It is up for a concurrence vote in the Senate before it heads to the governor’s desk. SB 1244 by Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) was introduced after a public records…

The final determination by the Department of Commerce last week reduced the tariffs on imported Canadian newsprint, however, the combined countervailing and anti-dumping duties still range up to 20 percent, depending upon the manufacturer. While Commerce’s reduction was a positive step, these duties cannot be absorbed by newspapers and will result in newspapers continuing to…

The Boston Globe is spearheading a nationwide effort to fight back against attacks on the press. It is requesting that newspapers stand together on Thursday, August 16 and publish editorials defending the profession and its unique role in our system of government. From The Globe: Call for action to protect free press: Publish editorial next…

Yesterday, in a much anticipated decision, the U.S. Commerce Department reaffirmed the countervailing and anti-dumping duties it imposed on the imports of Canadian newsprint in January. In yesterday’s decision, Commerce decided to spare several Canadian producers from the antidumping charges, revising the duties by setting them at 8.4 percent to 20.26 percent instead of the…

As the Legislature returns from recess on Monday, CNPA is working to push two important access bills over the finish line. SB 1421 by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and AB 748 by Assembly member Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) would substantially increase public access to law enforcement records for journalists who investigate police and law enforcement…

After a school district sought to recover $500,000 from an individual exercising her constitutional right to access public records, Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) introduced a bill to thwart future attempts by public agencies to harass and intimidate public records requesters. The bill, SB 1244 makes a simple change, converting the word “plaintiff” to “requester” in…