First Amendment Coalition

Public begins to push back on Berkeley police encryption plan Other police agencies in California have found solutions that avoid complete encryption.

Berkeley should keep its promise to protect public access and reject a proposal to silence all police radio traffic. The public loses when journalists and community members can't listen to police radio communications. www.berkeleyscanner.com/2025/10/21/c...

Your Detailed Guide to Election Day Access We’re thrilled to offer our latest Reporter’s Field Guide to help journalists report on elections.

FAC’s latest: A reporter’s guide to accessing election polling places and vote counting centers. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/yo...

In lieu of getting a person's rap sheet, are law enforcement agencies required to disclose certain information on arrests under the California Public Records Act? Part 3 of 3

If you can't get a person's full rap sheet, but you are looking for information on a specific case, what documents can you request? Part 2 of 3

Our legal director, David Loy, discusses accessing rap sheets under California Law. A rap sheet is a complete list of a person's entire arrest and conviction history. Can you just walk in and request someone's rap sheet from the police department? Part 1 of 3

Judge denies LAPD request To lessen use-of-force restrictions against press

In the leadup to the No Kings protests tomorrow, the L.A. City Attorney asked the court to stay its order prohibiting LAPD from using
laist.com/brief/news/p...

LA County quietly paid a $2 million settlement to its CEO in ‘confidential’ deal The agreement is labeled “confidential” and was not reported out publicly by the county.

A $2 million legal settlement with their existing county CEO is something taxpayers should be made aware of. The LA County Board of Supervisors thought otherwise. Kudos to Nick Gerda of @laist.com for getting the documents to the public. laist.com/news/politic...

Opinion: Why I'm handing in my Pentagon press pass Tom Bowman has held his Pentagon press pass for 28 years. He says the Pentagon's new media policy makes it impossible to be a journalist, which means finding out what's really going on behind the…

Outstanding piece by @npr.org Pentagon reporter Tom Bowman on why he won't sign the Pentagon's new media policy. "Signing that document would make us stenographers parroting press releases, not watchdogs holding government officials accountable."
www.npr.org/2025/10/14/g...

Supervisors unanimously condemn Shasta election official's decision to restrict press access – Shasta Scout Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis responded by saying county supervisors, including the three who voted to appoint him in May, are “confused.” Nevertheless, he’s agreed to post press releases on the co...

A California county’s top election official excluded journalists he doesn’t like from receiving press releases.

Today, in response to @facoalition.bsky.social’s advocacy for @shastascout.bsky.social, these actions got a strong rebuke by the board that hired him.

shastascout.org/supervisors-...

We're glad to see the board of supervisors support transparency and a free press.

Clint Curtis, Shasta County’s thin-skinned elections chief, stopped sending news releases to @shastascout.bsky.social because he didn't like its reporting.

His response when told it's unlawful to single out one news outlet? Collectively punishing of all of them.

Government secrecy fuels corruption. Transparency fuels accountability. That’s why FAC challenges government secrecy head-on. Support FAC: firstamendmentcoalition.org/support-fac/

FAC Represents Newsroom After Shasta Elections Official Illegally Excludes its Journalists from Media Release Distribution Advocacy

FAC is representing @shastascout.bsky.social in this letter to Shasta County's elections official after he said the outlet was not "legitimate" and illegally removed her from a media release distribution list.

Media coalition urges federal appeals court to restore AP’s access to White House press pool The White House’s expulsion of The Associated Press violated the First Amendment, RCFP argues in a friend-of-the-court brief.

@rcfp.org and the White House Correspondents' Association, joined by 46 news and media organizations, are urging a federal appeals court to restore @apnews.com’s access to the White House press pool.

Hold Your Tongue: Cypress Bans Politicians From Disparaging Each Other at City Council Meetings Cypress officials have adopted an ordinance prohibiting their colleagues from making unsubstantiated allegations against each other.

The answer to speech you dislike is more speech, not #censorship. voiceofoc.org/2025/10/cypr...

AccessFest 2025 - Investigative Reporters & Editors IRE's virtual conference, AccessFest, is October 9-11, 2025. Join us for training and learn how to be a better watchdog journalist!

Interested in writing about immigration arrests/deportations in your community? Join FAC’s Paloma Esquivel and journalists @wendyfry.bsky.social @jicastaneda.bsky.social & Jill Castellano at AccessFest for tips on covering immigration enforcement at the state/local level.

Journalists, don't miss three great opportunities this month to learn from FAC's experts about covering protests and immigration enforcement. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/ca...

FAC is thrilled to announce @wafa.bsky.social of the Omidyar Network has joined FAC's board of directors! firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/om...

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you can provide for your family & include the First Amendment Coalition in your plans. Your legacy gift will help defend free speech, protect journalists, & ensure government accountability for generations.
www.freewill.com/firstamendme...

Do you care deeply about protecting free speech & government accountability? Do your loved ones have the security of an up-to-date will? Protect what matters most—your loved ones & the values you cherish. By creating a free, 20-minute will through our partner FreeWill, 1/2

The LA Reporter, Issue 3: 'It's déjà vu all over again.' News from an LA Reporter. This week, that includes a win for journalists attacked by LAPD while covering protests, and LA leaders telling the charter reform commission they no longer want to get…

Here's hoping "the fifth or sixth time is the charm" when it comes to the LAPD respecting journalists' rights at protests. FAC's David Snyder talked to @thelareporter.bsky.social about the win for reporters in our case against LA. thelareporter.la/p/the-la-rep...

AccessFest 2025 - Investigative Reporters & Editors IRE's virtual conference, AccessFest, is October 9-11, 2025. Join us for training and learn how to be a better watchdog journalist!

Interested in writing about immigration arrests/deportations in your community? Join FAC’s Paloma Esquivel and journalists @wendyfry.bsky.social @jicastaneda.bsky.social & Jill Castellano at AccessFest for tips on covering immigration enforcement at the state/local level.

U.S. Department of Defense requires press to report only on authorized information A Department of Defense memo released last week sparked concerns for free speech for journalists and its implications for news coverage regarding the government.

There is no “more plain violation of the First Amendment” than Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth's new Pentagon media policy, FAC Executive Director David Snyder tells USC Annenberg Media. www.uscannenbergmedia.com/2025/09/26/u...

Your Detailed Guide to Covering Police Shootings A guide designed to help reporters use state transparency law to inform in-depth coverage of police shootings

There have been more than 100 fatal police shootings in California this year. Now, reporters have a step-by-step guide on how to cover them. #journalists firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/yo...

AccessFest 2025 schedule | October 9-11, 2025 | Online Welcome to the #AccessFest25 conference schedule!

Check out full details about our panel.
schedules.ire.org/accessfest-2...

AccessFest 2025 - Investigative Reporters & Editors IRE's virtual conference, AccessFest, is October 9-11, 2025. Join us for training and learn how to be a better watchdog journalist!

Reporters: Writing about immigration arrests/deportations in your community? Join FAC’s Paloma Esquivel & journalists @wendyfry.bsky.social @jicastaneda.bsky.social & Jill Castellano at AccessFest for tips on covering immigration enforcement at the state/local level.
www.ire.org/training/con...

David says: "[T]his administration has been transparent that it will retaliate against critics...It will retaliate against anyone who opposes this regime That is not democracy. That is authoritarianism waiting to happen."

The state of free speech in 2025 As free speech dominates national headlines, we sit down with local scholars to discuss how recent FCC moves could impact broadcasters here in San Diego. Plus, how national politics are impacting the…

FAC Legal Director @davidloy.bsky.social joined Jade Hindmon and Ric Epps for a discussion about free speech on @kpbssandiego.bsky.social. Listen in as they discuss the #JimmyKimmel suspension, consolidation of media ownership, censorship of law firms, and more. ⬇️ www.kpbs.org/podcasts/kpb...

Guía para periodistas: Aplicación de las leyes de inmigración Esta guía está diseñada para ayudar a los periodistas que cubren la inmigración en California a comprender el acceso a los registros públicos estatales y locales, las cortes de inmigración y los…

¡Atención, periodistas! Hoy publicamos una guía para los reporteros que cubren la aplicación de las leyes de inmigración en California. Ofrecemos consejos sobre cómo acceder a los registros públicos, las cortes y los centros de detención. firstamendmentcoalition.org/handbook/gui...

Stripping down to a bikini at a school board meeting is certainly an unconventional way to make your point, but we disagree that qualifies as a "disruption" under the Brown Act. 👙 www.sacbee.com/news/local/e...