Constitutional Law

Calif. gov. vetoes disclosure bill aimed at college foundations

By By The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. ? Organizations linked to California's public colleges and universities will remain free from increased scrutiny.

On Sept. 30, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that would have required university foundations and auxiliary associations to comply with the California Public Records Act.

A loophole in the law previously has allowed the nonprofits to bypass the disclosure requirements that apply to higher education institutions.

State Sen. Leland Yee, the author of S.B. 330, says the measure would have ensured greater transparency within the state's higher education institutions.

The bill also aimed to prevent a repeat of the recent controversy over the CSU Stanislaus Foundation's refusal to disclose Sarah Palin's speaking fee for a June fundraiser appearance.

The governor said S.B. 330 would not sufficiently protect the privacy of donors.

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on October 01, 2010 (boomark / email).