[CALMAP:377] AB1978 threatens public access to geodata

From: Mary Larsgaard (mary@library.ucsb.edu)
Date: Wed Mar 05 2008 - 11:36:15 PST

  • Next message: Kasianovitz, Kristine: "[CALMAP:378] RE: AB1978 threatens public access to geodata"

    would those kind persons - i immediately
    thought specifically of Cynthia and Yvonne - who are
    documents specialists please check
    into this bill and see how it's progressing?
    (i hope not well!)

    -------- Original Message --------
    Subject: [Fwd: Fwd: AB1978 threatens public access to geodata]]
    Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:56:41 -0800, Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:06:10 -0800
    From: Keith C. Clarke <kclarke@geog.ucsb.edu>
    To: Mike Goodchild <good@geog.ucsb.edu>, mary@library.ucsb.edu

    -- 
    Mary Lynette Larsgaard
    Director, Map Library
    Assistant Head, Map and Imagery Laboratory
    Davidson Library
    University of California, Santa Barbara
    Santa Barbara CA 93106-9010
    USA
    mary@library.ucsb.edu
    voice: 805/893-4049; 2779, reference desk
    fax: 805/893-8799
    

    attached mail follows:


    I don't know if you have seen this or are interested but I thought I would pass it on.

    Connie

    -

    Dear fellow members and participants: The attached message from Bruce Joffe is directly related to our activities, and is worthy of at least a brief discussion tomorrow at our annual meeting. As you may recall, Bruce presented at one of our meetings last year on behalf of SCAG. Several of our members have worked with him in the past on the Open Data Consortium project. Thanks very much, Paul

    Note: forwarded message attached.

    Paul Van Zuyle Westlake GIS (805) 558-0105 __._,_.___

    __,_._,___ Subject: AB1978 threatens public access to geodata From: Bruce Joffe <GIS.Consultants@joffes.com> Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:58:55 -0800

    To: Bruce_Joffe@hotmail.com

    Dear Colleagues,

    I'm writing to you because we share concern about insuring and improving the public's access to public record data, particularly geospatial data, that is created, maintained, stored, and used by our government agencies. A few weeks ago, on February 14, 2008, a severe threat to the California Public Records Act (which guarantees us - all of us - the right to access our government's data) was launched by California State Assembly Member Jose Solorio, with the introduction of AB 1978 to the state legislature.

    This bill seeks to exempt "assembled model data, metadata, and listings of metadata" from public records access by the public, by classifying these as "software" which is exempt from public records disclosure. Software? The technical flaws of this bill are astounding, but the political intention is no less sinister.

    Please join me in opposing this proposed legislation before it reaches legislative committee review (March 15) by sending a letter to Assembly Member Solorio, to your local Assembly Member and your local state Senator (if you live in California), to the press, and to any professional associations or public interest groups who share our concern.

    For your background information, I enclose an attached WORD document which contains the proposed changes to California's PRA, the explanatory statement issued from Assembly Member Solorio's office, the letter I am writing (you may use any parts in your own letter), and a short list of people to whom you should send copies of your letter. Please also send a copy to Tom Newton (California Newspaper Publishers Association), Peter Scheer (California First Amendment Coalition), and myself (Open Data Consortium), so we may coordinate the opposition to this bill. <did not attach>

    Time is of the essence. Thank you for your prompt response. Send your letter to Assembly Member Solorio in hard copy. CCs may be sent via eMail or hard copy.

    Sincerely,

    Bruce Joffe Founder, Open Data Consortium GIS Consultants

    Bruce Joffe, GISP Open Data Consortium project c/o GIS Consultants 1212 Broadway, Suite 610 Oakland, CA 94612 510-238-9771 GIS.Consultants@joffes.com

    attached mail follows:


    Dear Colleagues,

    I'm writing to you because we share concern about insuring and improving the public's access to public record data, particularly geospatial data, that is created, maintained, stored, and used by our government agencies. A few weeks ago, on February 14, 2008, a severe threat to the California Public Records Act (which guarantees us - all of us - the right to access our government's data) was launched by California State Assembly Member Jose Solorio, with the introduction of AB 1978 to the state legislature.

    This bill seeks to exempt "assembled model data, metadata, and listings of metadata" from public records access by the public, by classifying these as "software" which is exempt from public records disclosure. Software? The technical flaws of this bill are astounding, but the political intention is no less sinister.

    Please join me in opposing this proposed legislation before it reaches legislative committee review (March 15) by sending a letter to Assembly Member Solorio, to your local Assembly Member and your local state Senator (if you live in California), to the press, and to any professional associations or public interest groups who share our concern.

    For your background information, I enclose an attached WORD document which contains the proposed changes to California's PRA, the explanatory statement issued from Assembly Member Solorio's office, the letter I am writing (you may use any parts in your own letter), and a short list of people to whom you should send copies of your letter. Please also send a copy to Tom Newton (California Newspaper Publishers Association), Peter Scheer (California First Amendment Coalition), and myself (Open Data Consortium), so we may coordinate the opposition to this bill.

    Time is of the essence. Thank you for your prompt response. Send your letter to Assembly Member Solorio in hard copy. CCs may be sent via eMail or hard copy.

    Sincerely,

    Bruce Joffe Founder, Open Data Consortium GIS Consultants

    P.S. If you do not want to receive future eMail advisories on this subject, please reply via eMail with "REMOVE" in the subject line.

    Bruce Joffe, GISP Open Data Consortium project c/o GIS Consultants 1212 Broadway, Suite 610 Oakland, CA 94612 510-238-9771 GIS.Consultants@joffes.com

    ----------




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