Senate approves public records amendment

— The state Senate approved a constitutional amendment Wednesday that would guarantee the public's right to inspect local government public records while shifting the cost away from the state budget.


The amendment, SCA3, passed on a 37-0 vote and goes to the Assembly. If it receives the required two-thirds majority support in that house, as expected, the amendment would go before voters in June 2014.

A budget proposal by Gov. Jerry Brown sought to end the mandate and instead make compliance with the Public Records Act optional. He said it would save the state money, but his administration could not say exactly how much.



"The public's access to its government and operations is a fundamental component of our democracy," said Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, the measure's author. He urged his colleagues to "allow the voters of California to clarify in the Constitution that public records are available to the public and public meetings are open to the public."





Leno said that only that broad guarantee would be added to the Constitution, leaving the Public Records Act and Brown Act as statutes and making future changes easier.

The Associated Press


