Our lawsuit against Cal Poly SLO on behalf of @elizabethwilson.bsky.social was just one example of colleges obstructing student journalism. It's a nationwide problem. ⤵️https://www.thenation.com/article/society/universities-censorship-student-press-information-access-public-records/

Universities Say They Value a Free Press. Student Journalists Tell a Different Story.

The student press is facing a growing wave of censorship and institutional obstruction

thenation.com

Even if you agree with the LA City Council's decision to ban words at public meetings today, you might not agree with it wielding this power in the future. Must-read @latimes.com op-ed from @thefireorg.bsky.social. www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...

Contributor: Censorship never stops with just two words

The Los Angeles City Council is claiming ultimate authority to ban the use of any terms officials deem offensive during public meetings. It won't end there.

latimes.com

The public has a right to know what happens inside California’s privately-run immigration detention centers. SB 423 is urgently needed legislation to increase transparency by requiring disclosure of 911 recordings and related records. calmatters.org/commentary/2...

Opinion | Californians have a right to know about 911 calls from ICE detention centers

Most immigrant detention centers are privately run and shrouded in secrecy. A bill would make records of 911 calls from the centers public.

calmatters.org

FAC’s Paloma Esquivel, a former @latimes.com reporter, knows firsthand how difficult it is to secure public records from privately run immigration detention centers. She writes about how SB 423 would shine a light on an extremely opaque system. calmatters.org/commentary/2...

Opinion | Californians have a right to know about 911 calls from ICE detention centers

Most immigrant detention centers are privately run and shrouded in secrecy. A bill would make records of 911 calls from the centers public.

calmatters.org

BIG WIN for police transparency! A judge has ruled the City of Vallejo must release video recordings from the August 2025 police shooting of Alexander Schumann. FAC represents @vallejosun.bsky.social in the public records lawsuit. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/co...

Court Rules Vallejo Must Release Video Footage of Controversial Police Shooting

Vallejo must release video recordings from the August 2025 police shooting of Alexander Schumann by September 24.

firstamendmentcoalition.org

The government can't ban words. But that's what the LA City Council is doing by prohibiting anyone from saying the c-word or n-word during public comment at city council meetings. With @thefireorg.bsky.social we're warning the council: repeal the ban or face a lawsuit.

FAC and FIRE Demand LA City Council end policy banning certain words during public comment

The unconstitutional ban prohibits the use of the n-word and c-word. Anyone who utters these words can also be barred from future meetings.

firstamendmentcoalition.org

SB 423 would require disclosure of 911 calls and related records from the notoriously opaque, privately run immigration detention centers in California. An op-ed by FAC's Paloma Esquivel in @calmatters.org calmatters.org/commentary/2...

Opinion | Californians have a right to know about 911 calls from ICE detention centers

Most immigrant detention centers are privately run and shrouded in secrecy. A bill would make records of 911 calls from the centers public.

calmatters.org

Important op-ed in @calmatters.org by a retired San Diego sheriff commander about how the public records act played a critical role for one journalist's award-winning, life-changing work. calmatters.org/commentary/2...

Opinion | A reporter’s work on unsafe jails shows why California shouldn’t weaken its public records law

Giving agencies more time to fill records requests would likely delay families getting details on how their loved ones died in custody.

calmatters.org

See the public records--audio, photos, bodyworn camera video, and written reports--about the use of force against Marcus Evans that FAC had to sue the City of San Diego to disclose. www.sandiego.gov/police/data-...

Case Files | City of San Diego Official Website

City of San Diego Official Website

sandiego.gov

300 days and counting since Daily Bruin journalists at UCLA submitted public records requests. Campus officials aren't taking their calls. The campus community deserves better. dailybruin.com/2026/07/12/e...

TRANSPARENCY WIN! A federal court unsealed video footage and other records showing how @weareGEO used force against detainees at Adelanto ICE detention center in June 2020. Now the public can see how $120M in taxpayer funding was used. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/vi...

Video Footage of Use of Force, Other Critical Records Unsealed in Lawsuit Against ICE Contractor GEO Group

A court upheld the First Amendment right of access to court records by unsealing critical video and records of GEO Group’s use of force at Adelanto ICE facility.

firstamendmentcoalition.org

"You should have that document in your hands. You should've had it in your hand the day they were talking about it," @GinnyLaRoe.bsky.social tells Julie Watts about the #diapergate contract.

CBS News Sacramento@cbsnewssacramento.bsky.social · 4w ago

Nearly two months after announcing its free diaper program, California still won't release the Baby2Baby contract. Lawmakers now want to give agencies more time to respond to public records requests. Story ⬇️ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-baby2baby-diaper-contract-public-records-delays/ 

FAC mourns the loss of of @kellylynndavis.bsky.social, a dogged accountability reporter whose reporting made lives better in San Diego and beyond. A brilliant obit from @byjeffmcdonald.bsky.social www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/07/01/k...

Kelly Davis, intrepid reporter who exposed death and despair in San Diego County jails and gave voice to the downtrodden, dies at 53

The 2023 San Diego journalist of the year beat cancer for more than a decade before being diagnosed with a new tumor earlier this year; she leaves a lasting legacy in her adopted hometown.

sandiegouniontribune.com

WATCH: Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely explores the work of the legendary attorney--and FAC special advisor--who argued many of the landmark cases that transformed the First Amendment into a cornerstone of journalistic freedom and American democracy. www.speakingfreelyfilm.com

Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely

Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely is a biopic of the First Amendment as told through the story of one of its greatest legal advocates.

speakingfreelyfilm.com

Congrats to @aclu-norcal.bsky.social and @pmwglocal39521.bsky.social!

ACLU of Northern California@aclu-norcal.bsky.social · last mo.

The court agreed with us that no one should have to choose between speaking out and staying safe. With this ruling blocking enforcement of the Modesto ordinance while our lawsuit proceeds, people can now peacefully protest in the city without fear of arrest and reporters can do their jobs safely.

The City of San Diego has been ordered to turn over the bodyworn camera footage and other records about the Marcus Evans incident. Records must be disclosed by July 17. buff.ly/qx6ei19

City ordered to release records of SDPD shooting bean bag rounds and releasing K-9 on unarmed man

Despite public outcry and public records laws, the city of San Diego never released records of the nearly two-years-old incident. A judge has ordered the city to release the records by July 17.

kpbs.org

The public has the right to know what is happening inside privately run immigration detention facilities. www.usatoday.com/story/news/c...

California could force detention center emergency calls to be released

'The public’s right to know should not depend on inconsistent local practices or discretionary withholding,' advocates say.

usatoday.com

VICTORY! We did it! Our advocacy put a stop to this attack on the California Public Records Act. Lawmakers heard your voices and the bill has been rewritten. Thank you to all of you who contacted their senators to stop this bill! www.latimes.com/california/s...

Commentary: This California bill is so bad it has me agreeing with a Trump Republican

A bill making its way through the California Legislature would make public records less public. It's a bad fix for an unclear problem.

latimes.com

NEW: The Bay Area Host Committee claims millions in economic impact from the World Cup — but San Jose State is hiding its president's NDA with the BAHC. We're suing under the public records act. Public officials can't use NDAs to hide public business. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/fa...

FAC is proud to sponsor this important transparency bill with @immdefense.bsky.social. SB 423 will help shine a light on what people are experiencing in the privately run detention facilities in California.

Long Beach Post@longbeachpost.bsky.social · last mo.

State senator seeks to reveal abuses at immigration detention centers by forcing release of 911 calls lbpost.com/news/immigra...

Government transparency wins! 🔓 FAC and @thefireorg.bsky.social have settled a lawsuit over an unconstitutional law that banned the press and public from sharing lawfully obtained info on sealed arrest records. Now it's time to repeal that law. ⬇️ firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/fi...

Press freedom advocates win settlement over California law prohibiting anyone from sharing lawfully obtained information about sealed arrest records by

FIRE and FAC are calling on California’s legislature to rescind the law that prohibits anyone from publishing a sealed arrest report or sharing any information “relating to” the report.

firstamendmentcoalition.org

Inglewood tried to ban Bryan Bostic’s grieving family members, a supporter and a Black Lives Matter LA organizer from future council meetings for protesting his death at past meetings; the ban has since been rescinded but could come back. We are watching. firstamendmentcoalition.org/2026/06/22/f...

FAC Objects to Inglewood’s Attempt to Ban Individuals from Public Meetings

FAC’s letter to the City Council and mayor asserts that individuals cannot be banned from future meetings based on conduct at past meetings.

firstamendmentcoalition.org

California Assembly Bill 1821 is an attack on transparency. We are urging California's Senate Judiciary to committee to protect the California Public Records Act and reject this bill. calmatters.org/politics/202...

AB 1821 “looks a lot like an effort to evade accountability,” says FAC’s David Snyder. Lawmakers should reject AB 1821. California could become the ‘most secretive’ state under new public records bill calmatters.org/politics/202...

California could become the ‘most secretive’ state under new public records bill

Want government records? You might have to pay more, wait longer or even fight the court to obtain them under a proposed new measure.

calmatters.org

"[AB 1821) would be a giant step backward on the government transparency and accountability front, putting California among the states that are the worst on access to government records,” FAC's David Snyder tells @@oaklandside.org. oaklandside.org/2026/06/17/p...

Fees for public records? A bill could kneecap state transparency laws

Oakland City Council backed a draft of the bill that would give governments more time to respond to requests.

oaklandside.org

AB 1821 is an attack on transparency. We urge California lawmakers to reject this bill and protect the Public Records Act. www.ocregister.com/2026/06/16/e...

"Your government wants to be able to file a lawsuit against you for the mere act of submitting a records request it deems harmful or spiteful...It's a horrible precedent," writes @danborenstein.bsky.social at @mercurynews.com www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/16/b...

Under AB 1821, getting public records would cost more and take even longer. Perhaps worst of all, it would allow government agencies to sue members of the public if the agency deems their request to be made with “malicious intent.” firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/tr...

Transparency Is Under Attack in a Late-Breaking Bill

Under this bill, getting public records would be more costly and take longer. And it would allow government agencies to sue members of the public if the agency deems their request to be made with…

firstamendmentcoalition.org

The California Public Records Act is under attack. AB 1821 was dramatically expanded in the Senate, with provisions that would undermine the right to know. We are strongly opposed to this bill. firstamendmentcoalition.org/2026/04/09/f...

FAC Opposes AB 1821

Advocacy

firstamendmentcoalition.org

"[W]illing to risk lives for the sake of innovation." After more than year of fighting @caloes.bsky.social for public records, newly released internal emails show the absolute chaos behind California's $456M Next Gen 911 upgrade. www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/w...

Here’s why California’s $456M 911 upgrade went sideways: sources, records indicate

Newly released internal records show insiders on California’s troubled $456 million Next Generation 911 project lost confidence in the system’s chief architect years before he left the state agency…

nbcbayarea.com