The relentless battle for legislative transparency

For decades, it has been nearly impossible for ordinary citizens to pierce the veil of legislative secrecy in our state capital.
Of course, California is not unique — legislative bodies have sought to conceal their activity for millennia. This is inherent in the differences between rulers and subjects. But we all know too well that mischief feeds on secrecy. The Roman poet Virgil wrote more than 2,000 years ago, “Evil is nourished and grows by concealment.”
In California, the c