2020 amendments to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Gov. Code §§454950-54963)(“Brown Act” or “Act”) address how public officials may use social media, but not to conduct regular or specific business through those platforms. The new law (AB 992; 2020 Stat., Ch. 89 (Effective September 18, 2020) was designed to provide more clarity for elected officials

Diane G. Kindermann
Diane G. Kindermann Henderson is a shareholder in Abbott & Kindermann, Inc. Ms. Kindermann represents numerous private and public agency clients, development, agricultural, industrial, mining and other landowner interests in matters concerning environmental, land use, planning and zoning laws, CEQA, Federal and State Endangered Species Acts, wetlands, water rights and water quality, mineral rights, timber and forestry resources, NEPA and hazardous waste matters, including CERCLA.
Ms. Kindermann is an Executive Committee Chairperson on the Sacramento Regional Transit Authority, Friends of Light Rail Board. She is also on the Council of Counsel and Environment Committee for the Construction Materials Association of California. Ms. Kindermann is a member of the American Planning Association and has also served on the Legal Affairs Committee, and the Wetlands/ Endangered Species Task Force for the Association of California Water Agencies.
Practice Areas:
- Land use and planning law
- Real estate law
- Environmental law
- Municipal law
- Hazardous waste
- Mining
- Endangered species
- Wetlands protection
Education:
- J.D., University of Northern California, 1988
- Certificate, Sorbonne Law School, Paris, France, 1985
- B.A., University of San Diego, 1977
October Environmental Action News
Welcome to Abbott & Kindermann, Inc.’s October Environmental Action News. This summary provides brief updates on recent environmental cases, legislation, and administrative actions in 2020.
- PREVIOUS MONTH’S UPDATE
To read the September 2020 Environmental Action News post, click here: https://blog.aklandlaw.com/2020/09/uncategorized/september-environmental-action-news/ .
- SUPREME COURT
There is one case pending at the California Supreme Court. The…
October Monthly Real Estate Law Action News
Welcome to Abbott & Kindermann, Inc.’s October Real Estate Law Action News. This summary provides brief updates on recent environmental cases, legislation, and administrative actions in 2020. The case names of the newest decisions start with Section 3 and are denoted by bold italic fonts.
- PREVIOUS MONTH’S UPDATE
To read the September 2020 Environmental…
2020 CEQA 3rd QUARTER REVIEW
Welcome to Abbott & Kindermann’s 2020 3rd Quarter cumulative CEQA update. This summary provides links to more in-depth case write-ups on the firm’s blog. The case names of the newest decisions start with Section 3 and are denoted by bold italic fonts.
1. 2019 CEQA UPDATE
To read the 2019 cumulative CEQA review, click here:…
September Environmental Action News
Welcome to Abbott & Kindermann, Inc.’s September Environmental Action News. This summary provides brief updates on recent environmental cases, legislation, and administrative actions in 2020.
PREVIOUS MONTH’S UPDATE
To read the August 2020 Environmental Action News post, click here:
https://blog.aklandlaw.com/2020/08/uncategorized/august-environmental-action-news/
SUPREME COURT
There is one case pending at the California Supreme Court. The case…
September Monthly Real Estate Law Action News
Welcome to Abbott & Kindermann, Inc.’s September Real Estate Law Action News. This summary provides brief updates on recent environmental cases, legislation, and administrative actions in 2020. The case names of the newest decisions start with Section 3 and are denoted by bold italic fonts.
- PREVIOUS MONTH’S UPDATE
To read the August 2020 Environmental…
Abbott & Kindermann Receives Recognition For Continued Firm Success By U.S. News and World Report
U.S. News & World Report – Best Law Firm:
Abbott & Kindermann is pleased to announce that for 2020, U.S. News and World Report has again identified Abbott & Kindermann, Inc. as a nationally and regionally recognized Best Law Firm; a ranking that the firm has held since 2013.
Abbott & Kindermann, Inc. actively represents…
August Environmental Action News
Welcome to Abbott & Kindermann, Inc.’s August Environmental Action News. This summary provides brief updates on recent environmental cases, legislation, and administrative actions in 2020.
1. PREVIOUS MONTH’S UPDATE
To read the July 2020 Environmental Action News- Part 2 post, click here:
https://blog.aklandlaw.com/2020/07/articles/july-environmental-action-news-part-2/
2. SUPREME COURT
There is one case pending at the California…
August Monthly Real Estate Law Action News
Welcome to Abbott & Kindermann, Inc.’s August Real Estate Law Action News. This summary provides brief updates on recent environmental cases, legislation, and administrative actions in 2020. The case names of the newest decisions start with Section 3 and are denoted by bold italic fonts.
- PREVIOUS MONTH’S UPDATE
To read the July 2020 Environmental…
Water For The Fishes: The Third Appellate District Takes Measured Actions To Protect Threatened Fish Populations
By Diane Kindermann and Jessica Melms
Stanford Vina Ranch Irrigation Co. v. State of California (2020) 50 Cal.App.5th 976
On June 18, 2020, the Third Appellate District upheld the State Water Resources Control Board’s (“SWRCB”) authority to curtail unreasonable use of pre-1914 appropriative and riparian water rights through emergency regulations. Historically, post-1914 appropriative rights were…