HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 14202 (Support Proposition 54)RESOLUTION NO. 14202
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSITION 54
WHEREAS, it is essential to the maintenance of a democratic society that public business by
the California Legislature be performed in an open and public manner and residents be given the
opportunity to fully review every bill and express their views regarding the bill's merits to their elected
representatives, before it is passed; and
WHEREAS, last-minute amendments to bills in the Legislature are frequently pushed
through without sufficient opportunities for public comment, or advance notice, providing members of
the Legislature with no realistic opportunity to review or debate them, resulting in ill-considered
legislation; and
WHEREAS, few citizens have the ability to attend legislative proceedings in person, and
many legislative proceedings go completely unobserved by the public and press, often leaving no
record of what was said; and
WHEREAS, with the availability of modem recording technology and the Internet, there is no
reason why public legislative proceedings should remain relatively inaccessible to the citizens that
they serve; and
WHEREAS, California should also follow the lead of other states that require a 72 -hour
advance notice period between the time a bill is printed and made available to the public and the
time it is put to a vote, allowing an exception only in the case of a true emergency, such as a natural
disaster; and
WHEREAS, Proposition 54, the California Legislature Transparency Act, prohibits the
Legislature from voting on a bill until it has been published online in its final form for at least 72
hours. In addition, Proposition 54:
a. Allows this 72 -hour notice period to be waived to address a state emergency declared by the
Governor, followed by a two thirds vote of the legislative body, prior to action being taken on the
measure for which the rules are being waved; and
b. Requires the Legislature, by January 1, 2019, to ensure audiovisual recordings of all public
proceedings are publicly accessible on the Internet within 24 hours and archived for at least 20 years
thereafter (excludes closed session meetings), and allows all recordings of public proceedings to be
used for any legitimate purpose.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council, on behalf of the residents of
the City of San Rafael, hereby SUPPORTS Proposition 54, the California Legislature Transparency
Act.
I, Esther C. Beirne, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing
Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of
the City of San Rafael, held on Monday, the 3rd of October 2016, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Bushey, Gamblin, McCullough & Mayor Phillips
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Colin
Esther C. Beirne, City Clerk