DATE: April 8, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: City Clerk's Office
TITLE: CITY COUNCIL POLICY UPDATES AND REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION TO ADDRESS NEW BROWN ACT REQUIREMENTS PURSUANT TO SENATE BILL 707, INCLUDING IMPLEMENTATION OF TWO-WAY REMOTE PARTICIPATION SYSTEM, RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING A COUNCIL POLICY REGARDING DISRUPTION OF TELEPHONIC OR INTERNET SERVICE DURING PUBLIC MEETINGS, IMPLEMENTING TRANSLATION REQUIREMENTS, AND INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATION.
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends the City Council take the following actions prior to July 1, 2026, to implement updates to the Brown Act pursuant to Senate Bill 707:
1.) Direct staff to implement remote public participation at City Council meetings via two-way telephonic audio system;
2.) Direct staff to bring back appropriate policy or ordinance updates to address how public comment sign-up will be handled for all agenda items so that the rules for both in-person and remote public comments are uniformly applied;
3.) Adopt a resolution approving a Council Policy addressing Disruption of Telephonic or Internet Service During Public Meetings;
4.) Direct staff to implement Spanish language translation for agenda documents and approve policies for how to manage live translation needs; and
5.) Direct staff regarding policies for enhancing public awareness and participation in City Council meetings
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 707 (SB 707) amends the requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act and establishes new standards intended to expand public access to meetings of local legislative bodies. Among other changes, the legislation updates teleconferencing provisions, requires City Council to allow two-way remote public attendance and participation at City Council meetings, and establishes certain language access and public outreach requirements. Several provisions of SB 707 became effective January 1, 2026, i...
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