Oversight 'In the Shadows:' A Case of Closed Electronic Doors and the Stem Cell Agency's Multibillion-Dollar Finances

Open meetings watchdog says public should not be 'boxed out' by apparent violation of state's open meeting laws

A meeting last month of the only state body with financial review authority over the $12 billion state stem cell agency stands as an example of governance “in the shadows,” according to the First Amendment Coalition. 

“Based on what (the California Stem Cell Report) reported, it certainly looks like this meeting violated the Bagley-Keene Act (the state’s open meeting law),” said the Coalition, which is a nonprofit, open government watchdog.  

“There was no physical meeting space designated in the agenda where the public could participate,” said Annie Cappetta, a legal fellow with the Coalition,  in response to a query from this newsletter.

 “You report that you contacted staff immediately that the teleconference line wasn't functioning, yet the meeting continued. The Bagley-Keene Act’s guardrails to protect public access failed in practice.” 

The case involves the Citizens Financial Accountability Oversight Committee (CFAOC), which is the only state entity charged with reviewing the stem cell agency’s finances.