California lawmaker rolls back new public records barriers after fierce opposition

Southern California lawmaker Blanca Pacheco has withdrawn a controversial bill that aimed to impose high fees on public records requests deemed for commercial purposes, along with giving counties more leeway to deny requests and take legal action against those seeking information. The bill faced strong backlash from transparency advocates who argued it would hinder access to public information, undermining government accountability. This move highlights the ongoing tension between safeguarding public records and commercial interests, showing how public pressure can influence legislative outcomes.