Bill Text: CA ACR41 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 41 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Sunshine Week.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 49-26-1)

Status: (Passed) 2015-04-07 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 17, Statutes of 2015. [ACR41 Detail]

Download: California-2015-ACR41-Chaptered.html

BILL NUMBER: ACR 41	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  17
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  APRIL 7, 2015
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  MARCH 26, 2015
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 16, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 16, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ting
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen,
Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon,
Campos, Chang, Chau, Ch�vez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh,
Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina
Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray,
Grove, Hadley, Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Kim, Lackey, Levine,
Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina,
Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson,
Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark
Stone, Thurmond, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, and Wood)

                        MARCH 3, 2015

   Relative to Sunshine Week.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 41, Ting. Sunshine Week.
   This measure would designate March 15, 2015, through March 21,
2015, as Sunshine Week.



   WHEREAS, California has a long tradition in support of open
government and access to government records; and
   WHEREAS, In 1953, California enacted the Ralph M. Brown Act
guaranteeing the public's right to attend and participate in local
governing bodies; and
   WHEREAS, In 1967, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act was adopted to
mandate open meetings of state agencies, boards, and commissions;
and
   WHEREAS, In 1968, California enacted the California Public Records
Act that expressly declared that "access to information concerning
the conduct of the people's business is a fundamental and necessary
right of every person in this state"; and
   WHEREAS, California voters approved Proposition 59, a state
constitutional amendment, also known as the "Sunshine Amendment," in
2004 that furthers open government protections and the rights of
voters; and
   WHEREAS, California voters approved Proposition 42, a state
constitutional amendment, in 2014 to affirm the people's mandate for
open government; and
   WHEREAS, California entrepreneurs created the information
technology revolution and are creating opportunities for government
to use technology to improve performance, transparency, and trust;
and
   WHEREAS, Open government reforms continue to spread across the
country, including the adoption of open data policies to urge
innovation and economic development through the use of high-value
government data that can be freely accessed, modified, and shared;
and
   WHEREAS, President Barack Obama issued an Open Government
Directive to all federal departments and agencies that required the
federal government to take steps towards a more open government
including publishing government information online with the
presumption of openness, to improve the quality of government
information, and to institutionalize a culture of open government
within departments and agencies; and
   WHEREAS, The state of California was one of the first states to
launch an open data repository (data.ca.gov), designed to provide a
single source of raw data in the state; and
   WHEREAS, State agencies, including the California Health and Human
Services Agency and the State Controller's office, have shown
leadership in creating portals that showcase government data in an
interactive and searchable format that enhances its value and
utility; and
   WHEREAS, Many local governments have been leaders in open records
and public meetings and the Cities of San Francisco, Sacramento, San
Diego, Oakland, West Sacramento, and Los Angeles and the Counties of
Los Angeles and San Mateo have adopted Open Data policies; and
   WHEREAS, Numerous California cities have named Chief Data
Officers, and local government agencies have launched Open Data
portals; and
   WHEREAS, With an inaugural grant from the Knight Foundation, the
American Society of News Editors launched Sunshine Week in March
2005, and it continues to be celebrated each year in mid-March to
coincide with National Freedom of Information Day and President James
Madison's birthday on March 16; and
   WHEREAS, Sunshine Week is now a national initiative to promote a
dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of
information. Participants include news media, civic groups,
libraries, nonprofit entities, schools, and others interested in the
public's right to know; and
   WHEREAS, The coverage, commentaries, and activities promoting open
government during Sunshine Week have led to tangible, meaningful
changes to people's lives, and the laws that govern them; and
   WHEREAS, Sunshine Week is increasing public awareness and people
are playing more of a role in the actions that affect their
communities. People are learning what kinds of information they have
a right to see, how and where to obtain that information, and what to
do if someone tries to prevent them from accessing it; now,
therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That Sunshine Week is a celebration of the public'
s commitment to openness and an exploration of what open government
means in a technology-enhanced future; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature hereby designates March 15, 2015,
through March 21, 2015, as Sunshine Week and encourages all
Californians to participate in appropriate activities relating to
open government and access to public information; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.