Anne L. Collins

Partner | Sacramento

acollins@lozanosmith.com
Tel: 916.329.7433
Fax: 916.329.9050
Vcard Bio

Overview

Anne L. Collins is a Partner in Lozano Smith's Sacramento office and serves as co-chair of the firm's Governance Practice Group. Ms. Collins is an experienced attorney who specializes in various areas of public agency law, including litigation, board governance, and facilities and business matters. Ms. Collins' extensive general counsel and litigation experience helps public agency clients effectively and efficiently navigate and resolve legal issues ranging from the routine to the novel and nuanced.

Ms. Collins' areas of expertise include:
  • Litigation in the areas of eminent domain, writs, and contractor disputes;
  • Construction contracting, claims, bidding, and alternative delivery methods;
  • Brown Act, Public Records Act, conflicts of interest, and ethics;
  • Contract procurement, and negotiations; and
  • Real property disposition, acquisition, CEQA, and developer fees.

Litigation Experience

Ms. Collins regularly manages complex litigation for school districts, special districts, and other public agencies. She has managed several cases through jury trial, presented oral arguments at the Court of Appeal and drafted and argued numerous motions for summary judgment.

Presenter Experience

Ms. Collins is a highly sought-after presenter and regularly conducts workshops and presentations for numerous statewide associations and clients covering conventional and groundbreaking topics.

Representative Associations
  • Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
  • California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO)
  • California Special Districts Association (CSDA)
  • Coalition for Adequate School Housing (CASH)
  • Fire Districts Association of California (FDAC)
  • Small School Districts Association (SSDA)
Representative Topics
  • Brown Act, Public Records Act, and AB 1234
  • Construction 101
  • Contracting with Confidence
  • Legal Developments Affecting Local Public Works Projects
  • Masterclass in the Lease-Leaseback Procurement Process
  • New World of Fraudulent Activities in Schools
  • Public Works Bidding
  • Purchasing 101 and 102
  • Records Retention
  • Technology Legal Issues
  • Using Facilities and Property to Generate Revenue

Education

Ms. Collins received her law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. As a law student, she earned top honors and received the Capital City Trial Lawyers Association Award. She also received the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Advocacy Award. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Legislative Updates: SB 69, SB 149, & AB 356

By: Anne CollinsAdam Vasquez-

March 2024Number 15The California Legislature recently enacted a series of updates to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Outlined below are three significant pieces of legislation: Senate Bill (SB) 69, SB 149, and Assembly Bill (AB) 356.SB 69Effective January 1, 2024, SB 69 amended Section 21152 of the Public Resources Code, providing that all environmental notices (i.e., notices of determination (NODs) and notices of exemption (NOEs) for projects that are filed with a county cl...

A Reminder that Mandatory Ethics Training for School Officials is Coming

By: Anne CollinsAdam Vasquez-

November 2023Number 39Starting January 1, 2025, officials in school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools must complete ethics training at least once every two years. Assembly Bill (AB) 2158, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2022 amends California’s Government Code to mandate ethics training for relevant educational officials, in alignment with the existing “AB 1234 Training” requirement in place since 2006 for officials in cities, ...

The End of the COVID-19 State of Emergency Impacts Remote Board Meetings under AB 361

By: Anne CollinsRyan TungAngela Okamura-

February 2023Number 8Effective March 1, 2023, local agencies will no longer have the option to rely on the COVID-19 proclaimed state of emergency to conduct fully remote legislative body meetings pursuant to Assembly Bill (AB) 361.BackgroundOn March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency in California due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also signed various executive orders temporarily allowing legislative bodies of local agencies to conduct meetings virtually, relaxing the tradit...

New Options for Local Legislative Bodies to Access Public Meetings Remotely

By: Ryan TungAnne Collins-

October 2022Number 48State lawmakers have given members of local legislative bodies a new option for remote participation in public agency meetings.Assembly Bill (AB) 361 previously provided for remote attendance during declared emergencies through January 1, 2024.  Now, effective January 1, 2023, AB 2449 retains existing Brown Act teleconferencing requirements for non-emergency situations, but also provides an additional opportunity for remote attendance even when there is no state of e...

Senate Bill 1100 Addresses Disruptive Public Conduct at Public Meetings

By: Anne Collins-

October 2022Number 45On August 21, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1100, which authorizes the presiding member of a legislative body to remove disruptive individuals during a public meeting.  SB 1100 is intended to serve as a new mechanism for local officials to maintain the decorum of public meetings.BackgroundDue in part to the political climate and rhetoric during the COVID-19 pandemic, disorderly conduct at public meetings increased across California at alarming r...

Ninth Circuit Holds Blocking Public from Officials' Social Media Accounts May Violate First Amendment

By: Anne Collins-

August 2022Number 40New case law suggests social media accounts created by public officials may be considered public forums subject to constitutional scrutiny under the First Amendment.  In the recently decided case, Garnier v. O’Connor-Ratcliff (9th Cir. 2022, Nos. 21-55118, 2155157) __F.4th __ [2022 WL 2963453], the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals discusses these principles, holding that it is a violation of the First Amendment for a public official to block members of the public ...

AB 361 Creates Exemptions to Brown Act Virtual Meeting Requirements During a State of Emergency

By: Anne CollinsRyan Tung-

September 2021Number 26On September 15, 2021, the Governor signed Assembly Bill (AB) 361, amending the Ralph M. Brown Act to allow local agencies to continue conducting public meetings remotely during a state of emergency, so long as certain requirements are met. As explained in more detail below, public agencies who wish to conduct meetings remotely on or after October 1, 2021, must make specific findings, every thirty days, and ensure conditions related to public participation are satisfied...

How to Address COVID-19 with Your Governing Board: Brown Act Reminders

By: Mary LernerAnne CollinsJerome Behrens-

*** UPDATED AS OF 3/27/20 *****This Client News Brief (CNB) supersedes and replaces the prior CNB on this topic based on the new Executive Orders and public health officer directives.March 2020Number 13BackgroundWith growing concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), many public agencies are closely monitoring guidance and updates from health and science officials. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...

New Laws Will Impact Public Work Projects

By: Anne CollinsPeter Sumulong-

November 2019Number 65Governor Gavin Newsom has signed two laws that will impact public works contracts in California. Assembly Bill (AB) 456 extends the operative date for the current contractor claims resolution process to January 1, 2027. AB 1768 expands the definition of "public works" for purposes of paying prevailing wage, regulating working hours, and securing worker's compensation.AB 456The law as currently stated in Public Contract Code section 9204 prescribes a claims resolution pro...

Legislature Clarifies CEQA Lead Agency's Scope of Consideration in Authoring EIR

By: Anne Collins-

November 2018Number 71The California Legislature has amended the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in an effort to clarify a lead agency's ability to consider both the broad benefits of a project and the negative impacts of denying the project when evaluating environmental impacts.Under existing law, CEQA requires state and local agencies to assess the environmental impacts of projects they undertake. Unless an exception applies, the lead agency on the project must prepare one of th...

Public Agencies No Longer Required to Contract with DIR Registered Contractors for Small Projects

By: Anne CollinsNicholas Clair-

July 2017 Number 38 Senate Bill (SB) 96, passed this June as part of the California state budget, contains provisions designed to encourage more contractors to participate on small public works projects. Public works projects under $25,000 and maintenance projects under $15,000 are now exempt from the requirements of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) registration program. The new law also permits contractors to register for up to three years in advance and imposes new penalt...

Public Entities Must Proceed with Caution When Preparing an Addendum to a Negative Declaration

By: Anne Collins-

June 2017 Number 31 A California appellate court has held that a public entity violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by preparing an addendum to a mitigated negative declaration. In Friends of the College of San Mateo Gardens v. San Mateo County Community College District (2017) 11 Cal.App.5th 596, the court found that proposed changes to the District's original facilities project might have a significant effect on the environment, requiring further analysis, rather tha...

Governor Signs Bill Requiring Child Safety Alert Systems on School Buses

By: Anne Collins-

October 2016 Number 76 Governor Jerry Brown recently signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 1072, a bill modifying the Education Code and Vehicle Code to require additional safety measures for students being transported on school buses. Also called the "Paul Lee School Bus Safety Law," the bill responds to multiple reports of California schoolchildren being left unattended on school buses for hours, often in dangerous conditions. In 2015, a student, Paul Lee, died after being left unattended on...

Fit to Defend: A Primer on the Physical Education Instructional Minutes Litigation

By: Sloan SimmonsSteve NgoAnne Collins-

A series of lawsuits against school districts throughout California caught the attention of the State Legislature in 2015, prompting changes in the law designed to keep administrators and teachers out of the courthouse regarding physical education ("P.E.") instructional minutes ("P.E. minutes"). The law, AB 1391, was an urgency measure that took effect as soon as Governor Brown signed the legislation in October 2015. Despite AB 1391, it appears that there are still attorneys and members of th...

Legislature Permits Alcoholic Beverages at Certain School Facilities When Students Are Not on Campus

By: Megan MacyAnne Collins-

November 2014 Number 87 The Legislature recently amended the law to permit the consumption of alcoholic beverages at facilities owned and operated by various educational agencies, including school districts and community college districts. This change provides additional latitude for educational agencies to make their facilities available to community groups and individuals for fundraising and other private events that could provide additional revenue. Permitting the consumption of alcoho...

Important Changes in Labor Laws Related to Prevailing Wage Assessments and Actions, Payroll Records and Public Works Determinations

By: Megan MacyAnne Collins-

October 2013 Number 73 Recent changes to the Labor Code make wide-ranging adjustments to the procedures by which prevailing wage violations are investigated and enforced. Two bills recently signed by Governor Brown, Assembly Bill (AB) 1336 and Senate Bill (SB) 377, amend portions of the Labor Code associated with assessments and actions related to prevailing wages, the production of payroll records and public works project determinations. These changes extend and toll the time for the ...

Court of Appeal Holds that Diverted Revenue Should be Included in the Calculation of District's Property Tax Allocation Base

By: Anne Collins-

August 2013 Number 48 In the most recent published case arising out of the aftermath of the dissolution of redevelopment agencies statewide, a court of appeal has ruled in Los Angeles Unified School District v. County of Los Angeles (2013) 217 Cal.App.4th 597, that the Los Angeles Unified School District's (District) property tax allocation base should include property tax revenue that was diverted by other legislation. The decision resulted in an increase in revenue to the District in th...

California Supreme Court Addresses Attorney Work Product Privilege for Witness Statements and Identities

By: Mark KitabayashiAnne Collins-

July 2012 Number 38 In Coito v. Superior Court of Stanislaus County (June 25, 2012) __ Cal.4th __ (2012 WL 2369186), the California Supreme Court reviewed the attorney work product privilege in the context of (1) recordings of witness interviews conducted by investigators employed by counsel, and (2) information concerning the identity of witnesses from whom counsel had obtained statements. The Court determined that recorded witness statements are entitled as a matter of law to at least q...

Planning For Your Summer Projects

By: Daniel MarucciaAnne Collins-

March 2012 Number 12 Spring is in the air, and now is the time for planning your summer construction projects. As such, we would like to remind you about two significant changes in the law on public works projects for 2012: the cap on retention and the new prevailing wage compliance monitoring requirements. Retention Cap The first significant change is a new cap on the amount of retention withheld from progress payments on a public works project. Senate Bill (SB) 293 enacted a new s...

New Legislation Impacts Retention And Payment Terms For Public Works Projects

By: Anne CollinsRuth Mendyk-

October 2011 Number 68 Governor Brown recently signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 293, which contains numerous changes to the law on public works construction contracts, including a requirement that the public entity withhold no more than 5% of the contract price as retention. The Public Contract Code permits public entities to retain a percentage of the contract price from progress payments to a general contractor. Such "retention" is normally held by the public entity to cover, if nece...

New Requirements For Student Athletes

By: Anne CollinsRuth Mendyk-

October 2011 Number 58 The Governor recently signed Assembly Bill (AB) 25 which adds two new requirements for student athletes related to concussions and head injuries. The bill adds section 49475 to the Education Code and is effective January 1, 2012. This new law requires that each year, schools issue a concussion and head injury information sheet for athletes and their parents or guardians to sign and return before the athlete begins practice or competition. This requirement is not li...

Sample Litigation

  • In Anderson Union High School District v. Shasta Secondary Home School (2016) 4 Cal.App.5th 262, Ms. Collins was part of the Lozano Smith litigation team that successfully argued, in a case of first impression, that the geographic and site limitations of the Charter Schools Act (Ed. Code, § 47600 et seq.) are applicable to all charter schools, including "nonclassroom-based" programs.