Survey finds state agencies violate public records laws
By: Associated Press | ∞
SAN FRANCISCO -- A survey of 31 state agencies found public records violations at each agency, ranging from illegally charging for copies to taking too long to release basic public information.
Eighteen of the agencies visited by Californians Aware, a nonprofit that promotes government disclosure and the First Amendment, had so many violations they earned a failing grade, the watchdog group said Tuesday.
"It's appalling. This is worse than anything we've seen at the local level," said Terry Francke, general counsel for the group.
The audit used the California Public Records Act mandating the speedy delivery of public records and the Political Reform Act, which requires the disclosure of economic interests, to seek basic public documents, including salary information and litigation settlements.
Nearly half of the agencies were not able to provide the requested information.
The Department of Consumer Affairs had the most violations, the audit found. Also singled out for serious violations were the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Social Services, and the Department of Justice.
The Consumer Affairs Department did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
College student Ryan McKee, 18, the son of Californians Aware President Richard McKee, requested the documents in January and February and recorded whether the agencies were properly posting access guidelines and following other requirements.
More than two-thirds of the agencies improperly asked to see McKee's identification before allowing him to see economic interest disclosure forms.
The group is now proposing legislation that would require state agencies to post key public documents on Web sites and would impose fines for willfully violating the law, Francke said.
On the Net
Californians Aware: http://www.calaware.org/index.jsp
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