A local government may not use the Homeland Security Act, copyright law or cost concerns to shield its geographic information system (GIS) base map from public disclosure, the Sixth District Court of Appeal has ruled.
Although the court ruled squarely for the California First Amendment Coalition in its litigation with Santa Clara County, the court did not decide whether the county could charge extraordinary fees for providing the GIS information. Instead, the appellate panel referred that issue back to Santa Clara County Superior Court.
