TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Jarad Hildenbrand, City Manager
FROM: Pamela Coleman, City Clerk Services Director
1. SUBJECT
title
Brown Act Updates (SB 707) Presentation
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2. SUMMARY
Senate Bill 707 updates teleconferencing and accessibility requirements under the Brown Act, including new provisions related to remote participation and public access to meetings. By July 1, 2026, legislative bodies must adopt policies addressing technology disruptions and defining reasonable efforts for outreach to encourage public participation, particularly among underrepresented and non-English speaking communities.
This item includes a presentation summarizing these updates and a proposed resolution determining reasonable efforts to encourage public participation.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
recommendation
1. Receive and file presentation.
2. Determine "reasonable efforts" for outreach to encourage participation in City Council meetings under Government Code ? 54953.4.
3. Consider adoption of Resolution No. 11703. A Resolution of the City Council determining reasonable efforts to encourage public participation in City Council meetings pursuant to Government Code ? 54953.4.
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4. FISCAL IMPACT
Implementation of SB 707 will result in both one-time and ongoing costs to support public meeting accessibility and remote participation requirements. Anticipated expenses include annual subscriptions for audio conferencing services, installation of public meeting posting boards, and procurement and installation of audiovisual equipment upgrades for the City Council Chamber. Funding for these costs will be identified through the City's budget process.
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Goal 3: Enhance Public Communication Strategy and Quality of Life
6. DISCUSSION AND BACKGROUND
Background
The Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code ? 54950 et seq.) establishes requirements for open meetings of local legislative bodies. SB 707 updates provisions related to ...
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