Public Agency Statement of Facts (K-12) - School & College Legal Services of California

The Roster of Public Agencies is a public list of basic facts about a school district which includes the following:

1. The full, legal name of the public agency;
2. The official mailing address of the governing body;
3. The name and residence or business address of each
member of the governing body; and
4. The name, title, and residence or business address of the
chairman, president, or other presiding officer, and clerk
or secretary of the governing body.

LEGAL UPDATE

January 20, 2017

To: Superintendents, Member School Districts (K-12)

From: Steven P. Reiner, Assistant General Counsel

Subject: Public Agency Statement of Facts

Memo No. 03-2017

The Roster of Public Agencies is a public list of basic facts about a school district which includes the following:

1. The full, legal name of the public agency;

2. The official mailing address of the governing body;

3. The name and residence or business address of each member of the governing body; and

4. The name, title, and residence or business address of the chairman, president, or other presiding officer, and clerk

or secretary of the governing body.

Potential tort claimants against a district can use the list to find names and addresses for filing a governmental tort claim with a district. The timely filing of a governmental tort claim with a district is a precondition to pursuing a tort lawsuit against that district.

The consequences of failing to maintain the currency of this factual information can be significant. Tort claimants may be allowed to file lawsuits without first filing timely governmental claims with the district if the basic facts listed above are significantly inaccurate or incomplete.

Government Code Section 53051 requires every school district to file a Statement of Facts about the district with the California Secretary of State and with the county clerk of each county in which the district maintains an office after it comes into existence and to periodically amend that Statement of Facts.

Subsection (b) of Section 53051 requires districts to file an amended Statement of Facts within 10 days after a change in any of these basic facts. Some school districts may be welcoming new members to their boards as a result of recent elections and will have new appointments of board members (See fact #3 above). Organizational meetings may result in a change in the presiding officer (See fact #4 above). If there are changes in the district facts listed above, it is important that you file an amended Statement of Facts with the Secretary of State and with the county clerk of each county where the district maintains an office. Failure to do so could relieve a claimant of the duty to comply with the Government Tort Claims Act and increase district exposure to lawsuits.

Attached is a copy of Government Code Section 53051, and a Statement of Facts form.

The Legal Update is a service provided by School and College Legal Services exclusively to our member clients.

Please contact our office with questions regarding this Legal Update or any other legal matter.

Attachments: Government Code section 53051

Statement of Facts form

The information in this Legal Update is provided as a summary of law and is not intended as legal advice. Application of the law may vary depending on the particular facts and circumstances at issue. We, therefore, recommend that you consult legal counsel to advise you on how the law applies to your specific situation.

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