The Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013 mandates
uniform, generally lower benefit formulas for all “new members”
of California public agency defined benefit retirement plans.
Cities are increasingly using civil actions rather than criminal
prosecution to curb illegal drug sales within their borders.
Often such actions are taken either under general nuisance laws
or the…
The doctrine of qualified immunity protects government defendants
from liability as long as their conduct did not violate clearly
established law. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled on the
issue…
Many cities have hired recent retirees to bridge staffing needs
during the economic crunch. But failing to recognize and comply
with requirements of the statutes governing such hires can result
in…
Members of the public and local agency officials carrying out the
public’s business increasingly use electronic media to
communicate. This article provides an overview of the law,
discusses some…
Cities and other public entities are generally required to put
significant contracts out for competitive bidding and to award
the contract to the lowest responsible bidder. Sometimes a
decision is…
Much effort has been expended trying to explain and analyze the
purpose and effect of Proposition 26, the so-called “Stop Hidden
Taxes Initiative.” This article provides the non-expert with…
The two articles presented here examine the legal standards and
practices under which cities may enact local laws either to ban
or regulate dispensaries.
