Statement from The Society of Professional Journalists and The Pacific Media Workers Guild on the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance Task Force
Local government transparency in San Francisco is under attack from within. The city has the nation’s oldest and arguably strongest local government transparency law, the Sunshine Ordinance, created by The…
Press release: SPJ NorCal and PMWG call for immediate restoration of Sunshine Ordinance Task Force
The Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and The Pacific Media Workers Guild call on San Francisco Supervisors to immediately restore the SF Sunshine Ordinance Task Force…
SPJ NorCal successfully opposes harmful CPRA bill
Lawmakers wanted to let agencies sue you for submitting records requests that they didn’t like. We fought back and won. A California lawmaker introduced a bill this year that threatened…
Federal judge blocks Modesto PPE ban that put journalists at risk of arrest
Modesto can no longer arrest you for protecting yourself at protests. We took our fight for a free press to federal court after the Modesto City Council refused to repeal…
SPJ NorCal champions 911 transparency bill that now heads to governor
ICE detention center transparency bill heads to governor The California Legislature this week passed the Detention Facility Transparency Act, an important public records bill now headed to the governor's desk.…
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: James Madison Freedom of Information Awards For 2025 Achievements
SPJ NorCal’s Freedom of Information Committee is now accepting nominations for the 41st Annual James Madison Awards for 2025 achievements. DEADLINE: Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., Pacific time.…
Freedom of Information Committee Warns Against Defanging Sunshine Ordinance Task Force
San Francisco’s Sunshine Ordinance Task Force is at risk of being defanged and, without an assertive vote from the Board of Supervisors, disbanded. Last month, the city’s Commission Streamlining Task…
SPJ NorCal Honors 2025 Excellence in Journalism Award Winners
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 CONTACT: Laura Wenus at 650-996-3112 or spjnorcal@gmail.com, or Ben Trefny at 415-290-2421 * * * * * SAN FRANCISCO — The Society of…
SPJ NorCal Statement on Shasta County Registrar of Voters’ Targeting of Shasta Scout
The Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists denounces the Shasta County Registrar of Voters’ targeting of Shasta Scout and urges the Registrar to immediately restore the publication’s…
SPJ NorCal Mourns the Loss of Pioneering Journalist Belva Davis
The Society of Professional Journalists Northern California chapter is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Belva Davis. She was 92 years old. Davis broke the color barrier in…