CA measure would exclude public from meetings

Certain meetings between Gov. Jerry Brown and county officials would be allowed to take place behind closed doors, under a measure passed by state legislators and sent to the governor for his signature.

The Los Angeles Times says Assemblyman Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, authored the bill in reaction to a legal opinion by a county prosecutor.

The prosecutor said a private 2011 meeting between Brown and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors about his prison realignment plan violated the public’s right to see government business being conducted.

Supporters point out that California’s open-meetings law already allows the state attorney general, county district attorneys, security consultants and others to hold closed sessions with local government boards on public security matters.

The new measure adds the governor to that list.