Ed. Note: Update adds statement from California High Speed Rail Authority

News release provided by the office of Assemblyman Scott Wilk. 

The Assembly Governmental Organization Committee for the state of California have passed Assemblyman Scott Wilk’s , R- Santa Clarita, bill to stop entities from holding closed-door meetings without public involvement.

“The California High-Speed Rail Authority has been exploiting this loophole and denying taxpayers entrance into their meetings,” said Wilk. “It is imperative for the public to be included in meetings that directly affect them. We must urge our government to conduct its business in a visible and transparent manner.”

State Assemblyman Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, posted this picture to Twitter. Wilk, along with Santa Clarita City Council members, has been openly against the High Speed Rail Project

AB 85 clarifies existing law and defines a “state body” as any multimember committee.

Current law requires all standing committees of a local government entity or of the Legislature to hold meetings that are open to the public whether or not the standing committee takes action. However, existing law is slightly ambiguous for state bodies, which some state agencies are exploiting as a loophole.

Other state agencies others have misused this loophole to circumvent open meeting requirements. Agencies limit their standing committees to no more than two members for the explicit purpose of avoiding open meeting requirements and public scrutiny.

The 38th Assembly District encompasses Simi Valley, the northern section of the San Fernando Valley and most of the Santa Clarita Valley.

Statement From California High-Speed Rail Authority In Response To Wilk’s News Release

“The California High-Speed Rail Authority is in full compliance with all laws governing public meetings in California, and we remain committed to being open and transparent about the high-speed rail program.   In fact, the Authority goes above and beyond by not only opening all our monthly Board meetings to the public but also our committee meetings.  For opponents of the program to imply otherwise is simply untrue,” said  Lisa Marie Alley, California High-Speed Rail Authority Spokeswoman