Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 16-130 IN SUPPORT OF YES ON PROPOSITION 54, THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE TRANSPARENCY ACT (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
California's Proposition 54 is a state ballot initiative that, if passed, will give everyday voters more access to the legislative process. Although the State Constitution says legislative meetings are to be open to the public, few people are able to attend those meetings in person. Many proceedings go completely unobserved by the public and press, with no digital recording of what was discussed and/or voted on.
Proposition 54 would give the public time to read new legislation before it is passed, upload digitally recorded legislative meetings online so that meetings can be viewed as an alternative to only in person views. Proposition 54 also would allow the people to make their own videos of legislative meetings and share those recordings with others and post on social media.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 16-130, "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING PROPOSITION 54."
2. INSTRUCT staff to transmit a copy of the executed resolution to Jeff Kierman, Regional Public Affairs Manager, League of California Cities and Kristi K. Thielen with the Yes on 54 Campaign.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
DO NOT support Resolution No. 16-130.
IV. BACKGROUND
The opportunity to review bills and debate them on their merits should be performed in an open and public manner allowing legislators and residents to review and comment. Last-minute amendments to bills in the Legislature are brought forward without advance notice or public comment providing members of the Legislature with little to no opportunity to review or debate them. If passed, Proposition 54 would follow the lead of other states that require a 72-hour advance not...
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