California’s Secret Keeping Bill

California lawmakers are pushing a controversial bill that could slash public access to government records by letting agencies charge steep fees—up to $60 an hour—for searching—and even sue requesters accused of “malicious intent,” a term with no clear definition. Backed by local governments citing overwhelmed staff, the bill threatens to silence transparency by making information harder to obtain, especially for small businesses. Critics argue it undermines the 1968 Public Records Act’s core mission: open government for accountability. The state Supreme Court already has a legal tool to handle burdensome requests—dating back to 1982—and many believe this new law is unnecessary and dangerous, risking the public’s right to know and weakening democracy’s foundation. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3734725632de5c62