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By GEORGE BOWLES
There have been two major rulings in recent weeks which bear directly on your access to information about what your state and local governments are up to.
One may be seen as a step forward; the other, at least temporarily, as a stunning and puzzling step backward.
Let us first consider the latter.
In a 4-3 decision, the State Supreme Court has held that is perfectly legal for local governing bodies to transact business by conference telephone calls. To do so, according to the majority opinion written by Justice Albertis Harrison, would not violate the state s Freedom of Information Act (FOI).
This law spells out in explicit detail the 18 circumstances under which public bodies, such as Boards of Supervisors, can go into closed session. It also prescribes the actions which these bodies must take subsequent to the closed-door sessions to inform the public about what transpired.
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