Sacramento – In his continuing efforts to provide sunshine and accountability in state government, Assembly Member Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) today introduced legislation to force the Legislature to comply with the California Public Records Act (CPRA). Currently, the State Legislature is the only government agency in California that exempts itself from compliance with this important "good government" standard. In 2004, voters passed Prop 59 to strengthen public access to information with 83% of the voters in support.
Under AB 1129, Portantino calls for elimination of the self-serving exemptions to transparency that the legislature follows. In place of the same transparency the legislature expects local governments to operate in, the Legislature established its own watered down version of the CPRA called LORA - the Legislative Open Records Act. This action created loopholes and exemptions which have allowed Assembly leaders to hide budget records and expenditures from public review for years.
"Assembly leaders have hidden documents and expenditures from the public long enough. No more gimmicks, no more tricks and no more incomplete and misleading financial documents can be circulated or tolerated," commented Assembly Member Portantino.
The Associated Press and other news outlets have discredited recent budget documents released by the Assembly in response to LORA requests. In addition, the Assembly leaders have refused to comply with public records requests from the Los Angeles Times and the Sacramento Bee. As a result, the two newspapers have joined forces in a lawsuit to compel the release of accurate and comprehensive financial information from the Assembly.
"It is hypocritical of the Legislature to say it embraces open government when it is fighting so hard to keep the public in the dark on how it operates. A secret budget is by its very nature a corrupt budget. Assembly leaders are putting themselves above the will of the people by declaring that budgets, expenditures and ongoing operational documents are preliminary drafts, notes, or legislative memoranda," continued Portantino. "I join with the Sacramento Bee which last week called for the Assembly to simply comply with CPRA. It's a simple thing for us to do; it doesn't take a task force. It only takes the moral will to embrace the open government the good residents of California demand and deserve."
AB 1129 repeals the LORA exemptions and brings the Legislature into complete compliance with the California Public Records Act. The Governor, other constitutional offices, and local governments all comply with CPRA.
"If it's good enough for the Governor and the local cities we've been so concerned about this year, it should be good enough for us. No more excuses, no more rhetoric – lets embrace sunshine instead of secrets," concluded Portantino.
Under the current system, the State Assembly spends $146 million a year in tax money to operate its offices and committees with no accountability or sunshine.
CONTACT: Wendy Gordon 626.577.9944, m-626.720.3409
