Chapter 9 - Meetings

California Government Code — §§ 54950-54963

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Sections (61)

Added by Stats. 1953, Ch. 1588.

In enacting this chapter, the Legislature finds and declares that the public commissions, boards and councils and the other public agencies in this State exist to aid in the conduct of the people’s business. It is the intent of the law that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly.

The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain

control over the instruments they have created.

§ 54950.5

Added by Stats. 1961, Ch. 115.

This chapter shall be known as the Ralph M. Brown Act.

§ 54951

Amended by Stats. 1959, Ch. 1417.

As used in this chapter, “local agency” means a county, city, whether general law or chartered, city and county, town, school district, municipal corporation, district, political subdivision, or any board, commission or agency thereof, or other local public agency.

§ 54952

Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 1073, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2003.

As used in this chapter, “legislative body” means:

(a)The governing body of a local agency or any other local body created by state or federal statute.

(b)A commission, committee, board, or other body of a local agency, whether permanent or temporary, decisionmaking or advisory, created by charter, ordinance, resolution, or formal action of a legislative body. However, advisory committees, composed solely of the members of the

legislative body that are less than a quorum of the legislative body are not legislative bodies, except that standing committees of a legislative body, irrespective of their composition, which have a continuing subject matter jurisdiction, or a meeting schedule fixed by charter, ordinance, resolution, or formal action of a legislative body are legislative bodies for purposes of this chapter.

(c)(1) A board, commission, committee, or other multimember body that governs a private corporation, limited liability company, or other entity that either:

(A) Is created by the elected legislative body in order to exercise authority that may lawfully be delegated by the elected governing body to a private corporation, limited liability company, or other entity.

(B) Receives funds from a local agency and

the membership of whose governing body includes a member of the legislative body of the local agency appointed to that governing body as a full voting member by the legislative body of the local agency.

(2)Notwithstanding subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), no board, commission, committee, or other multimember body that governs a private corporation, limited liability company, or other entity that receives funds from a local agency and, as of February 9, 1996, has a member of the legislative body of the local agency as a full voting member of the governing body of that private corporation, limited liability company, or other entity shall be relieved from the public meeting requirements of this chapter by virtue of a change in status of the full voting member to a nonvoting member.

(d)The lessee of any hospital the whole or part of which is first leased pursuant to subdivision (p)

of Section 32121 of the Health and Safety Code after January 1, 1994, where the lessee exercises any material authority of a legislative body of a local agency delegated to it by that legislative body whether the lessee is organized and operated by the local agency or by a delegated authority.

§ 54952.1

Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 32, Sec. 2. Effective March 30, 1994. Operative April 1, 1994, by Sec. 23 of Ch. 32.

Any person elected to serve as a member of a legislative body who has not yet assumed the duties of office shall conform his or her conduct to the requirements of this chapter and shall be treated for purposes of enforcement of this chapter as if he or she has already assumed office.

§ 54952.2

Amended (as amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 89, Sec. 1) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 1. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)As used in this chapter, “meeting” means any congregation of a majority of the members of a legislative body at the same time and location, including teleconference location as permitted by Section 54953, to hear, discuss, deliberate, or take action on any item that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.

(b)(1) A majority of the members of a legislative body shall not, outside a meeting authorized by this chapter, use a series of communications of any kind, directly or through intermediaries, to discuss, deliberate, or take action on any item of business that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.

(2)Paragraph (1)

shall not be construed as preventing an employee or official of a local agency, from engaging in separate conversations or communications outside of a meeting authorized by this chapter with members of a legislative body in order to answer questions or provide information regarding a matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the local agency, if that person does not communicate to members of the legislative body the comments or position of any other member or members of the legislative body.

(3)(A) Paragraph (1) shall not be construed as preventing a member of the legislative body from engaging in separate conversations or communications on an internet-based social media platform to answer questions, provide information to the public, or to solicit information from the public regarding a matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body provided that a majority of the members of

the legislative body do not use the internet-based social media platform to discuss among themselves business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body. A member of the legislative body shall not respond directly to any communication on an internet-based social media platform regarding a matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body that is made, posted, or shared by any other member of the legislative body.

(B)For purposes of this paragraph, all of the following definitions shall apply:

(i)“Discuss among themselves” means communications made, posted, or shared on an internet-based social media platform between members of a legislative body, including comments or use of digital icons that express reactions to communications made by other members of the legislative body.

(ii) “Internet-based social media platform” means an online service that is open and accessible to the public.

(iii) “Open and accessible to the public” means that members of the general public have the ability to access and participate, free of charge, in the social media platform without the approval by the social media platform or a person or entity other than the social media platform, including any forum and chatroom, and cannot be blocked from doing so, except when the internet-based social media platform determines that an individual violated its protocols or rules.

(c)Nothing in this section shall impose the requirements of this chapter upon any of the following:

(1)Individual contacts or conversations between a member of a legislative body and

any other person that do not violate subdivision (b).

(2)The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at a conference or similar gathering open to the public that involves a discussion of issues of general interest to the public or to public agencies of the type represented by the legislative body, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves, other than as part of the scheduled program, business of a specified nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the local agency. Nothing in this paragraph is intended to allow members of the public free admission to a conference or similar gathering at which the organizers have required other participants or registrants to pay fees or charges as a condition of attendance.

(3)The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at an open and publicized meeting

organized to address a topic of local community concern by a person or organization other than the local agency, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves, other than as part of the scheduled program, business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body of the local agency.

(4)The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at an open and noticed meeting of another body of the local agency, or at an open and noticed meeting of a legislative body of another local agency, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves, other than as part of the scheduled meeting, business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body of the local agency.

(5)The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at a purely

social or ceremonial occasion, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body of the local agency.

(6)The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at an open and noticed meeting of a standing committee of that body, provided that the members of the legislative body who are not members of the standing committee attend only as observers.

§ 54952.3

Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 91, Sec. 1. (AB 23) Effective January 1, 2012.

(a)A legislative body that has convened a meeting and whose membership constitutes a quorum of any other legislative body may convene a meeting of that other legislative body, simultaneously or in serial order, only if a clerk or a member of the convened legislative body verbally announces, prior to convening any simultaneous or serial order meeting of that subsequent legislative body, the amount of compensation or stipend, if any, that each member will be entitled to receive as a result of convening the simultaneous or serial meeting of the

subsequent legislative body and identifies that the compensation or stipend shall be provided as a result of convening a meeting for which each member is entitled to collect compensation or a stipend. However, the clerk or member of the legislative body shall not be required to announce the amount of compensation if the amount of compensation is prescribed in statute and no additional compensation has been authorized by a local agency.

(b)For purposes of this section, compensation and stipend shall not include amounts reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred by a member in the performance of the member’s official duties, including, but not limited to, reimbursement of expenses relating to travel, meals, and lodging.

§ 54952.6

Added by Stats. 1961, Ch. 1671.

As used in this chapter, “action taken” means a collective decision made by a majority of the members of a legislative body, a collective commitment or promise by a majority of the members of a legislative body to make a positive or a negative decision, or an actual vote by a majority of the members of a legislative body when sitting as a body or entity, upon a motion, proposal, resolution, order or ordinance.

§ 54952.7

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 3. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2026.

A local agency shall provide a copy of this chapter to any person elected or appointed to serve as a member of a legislative body of the local agency.

§ 54953

Amended (as amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 534, Sec. 2) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 4. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)All meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

(b)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the legislative body of a local agency may use teleconferencing for the benefit of the public and the legislative body of a local agency in connection with any meeting or proceeding authorized by law. The teleconferenced meeting or proceeding shall comply with all otherwise applicable requirements of this chapter and all otherwise applicable provisions of law relating to a specific type of meeting or proceeding.

(2)Teleconferencing, as authorized by this section, may be used for all purposes in connection with any meeting within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body. If the legislative body of a local agency elects to use teleconferencing, the legislative body of a local agency shall comply with all of the following:

(A)All votes taken during a teleconferenced meeting shall be by rollcall.

(B)The teleconferenced meetings shall be conducted in a manner that protects the statutory and constitutional rights of the parties or the public appearing before the legislative body of a local agency.

(C)The legislative body shall give notice of the meeting and post agendas as otherwise required by this chapter.

(D)The legislative body

shall allow members of the public to access the meeting and the agenda shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to address the legislative body directly pursuant to Section 54954.3.

(3)If the legislative body of a local agency elects to use teleconferencing, it shall post agendas at all teleconference locations. Each teleconference location shall be identified in the notice and agenda of the meeting or proceeding, and each teleconference location shall be accessible to the public. During the teleconference, at least a quorum of the members of the legislative body shall participate from locations within the boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, except as expressly provided in this chapter.

(4)The teleconferencing requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to remote participation described in subdivision (c).

(c)(1) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a member of a legislative body with a disability from participating in any meeting of the legislative body by remote participation as a reasonable accommodation pursuant to any applicable law.

(2)A member of a legislative body participating in a meeting by remote participation pursuant to this subdivision shall do both of the following:

(A)The member shall participate through both audio and visual technology, except that any member with a disability, as defined in Section 12102 of Title 42 of the United States Code, may participate only through audio technology if a physical condition related to their disability results in a need to participate off camera.

(B)The member

shall disclose at the meeting before any action is taken, whether any other individuals 18 years of age or older are present in the room at the remote location with the member, and the general nature of the member’s relationship with any of those individuals.

(3)Remote participation under this subdivision shall be treated as in-person attendance at the physical meeting location for all purposes, including any requirement that a quorum of the legislative body participate from any particular location. The provisions of subdivision (b) and Sections 54953.8 to 54953.8.7, inclusive, shall not apply to remote participation under this subdivision.

(d)(1) No legislative body shall take action by secret ballot, whether preliminary or final.

(2)The legislative body of a local agency shall publicly

report any action taken and the vote or abstention on that action of each member present for the action.

(3)(A) Prior to taking final action, the legislative body shall orally report a summary of a recommendation for a final action on the salaries, salary schedules, or compensation paid in the form of fringe benefits of either of the following during the open meeting in which the final action is to be taken:

(i)A local agency executive, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 3511.1.

(ii) A department head or other similar administrative officer of the local agency.

(B) This paragraph shall not affect the public’s right under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1) to inspect

or copy records created or received in the process of developing the recommendation.

(e)For purposes of this section, both of the following definitions apply:

(1)“Disability” means a physical disability or a mental disability as those terms are defined in Section 12926 and used in Section 12926.1, or a disability as defined in Section 12102 of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(2)(A) “Teleconference” means a meeting of a legislative body, the members of which are in different locations, connected by electronic means, through either audio or video, or both.

(B)Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), “teleconference” does not include one or more members watching or listening to a meeting via webcasting or any other similar

electronic medium that does not permit members to interactively speak, discuss, or deliberate on matters.

(3)“Remote participation” means participation in a meeting by teleconference at a location other than any physical meeting location designated in the notice of the meeting.

§ 54953.1

Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 950.

The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to prohibit the members of the legislative body of a local agency from giving testimony in private before a grand jury, either as individuals or as a body.

§ 54953.2

Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 300, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2003.

All meetings of a legislative body of a local agency that are open and public shall meet the protections and prohibitions contained in Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132), and the federal rules and regulations adopted in implementation thereof.

§ 54953.3

Amended by Stats. 1981, Ch. 968, Sec. 28.

A member of the public shall not be required, as a condition to attendance at a meeting of a legislative body of a local agency, to register his or her name, to provide other information, to complete a questionnaire, or otherwise to fulfill any condition precedent to his or her attendance.

If an attendance list, register, questionnaire, or other similar document is posted at or near the entrance to the room where the meeting is to be held, or is circulated to the persons present during the meeting, it shall state clearly that the signing, registering, or completion of the document is voluntary, and that all

persons may attend the meeting regardless of whether a person signs, registers, or completes the document.

§ 54953.4

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 5. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2026. Operative July 1, 2026, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2030, by its own provisions.

(a)The Legislature finds and declares that public access, including through translation of agendas as required by this section, is necessary for an informed populace. The Legislature encourages local agencies to adopt public access requirements that exceed the requirements of this chapter by translating additional languages, employing human translators, and conducting additional outreach.

(b)(1) In addition to any other applicable requirements of this chapter, a meeting held by a eligible legislative body pursuant to this chapter shall comply with both of the following requirements:

(A) (i) (I) (ia) All open and public meetings shall include an opportunity for members of the public to attend via a two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform, except if adequate telephonic or internet service is not operational at the meeting location. If adequate telephonic or internet service is operational at the meeting location during only a portion of the meeting, the legislative body shall include an opportunity for members of the public to attend via a two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform during that portion of the meeting.

(ib) (Ia) On or before July 1, 2026, an eligible legislative body shall approve at a noticed public meeting in open session, not on the consent calendar, a policy regarding disruption of telephonic or internet service occurring during meetings subject to this sub-subclause. The policy shall address the procedures for recessing and reconvening a meeting

in the event of disruption and the efforts that the eligible legislative body shall make to attempt to restore the service.

(Ib) If a disruption of telephonic or internet service that prevents members of the public from attending or observing the meeting via the two-way telephonic service or two-way audiovisual platform occurs during the meeting, the eligible legislative body shall recess the open session of the meeting for at least one hour and make a good faith attempt to restore the service. The eligible legislative body may meet in closed session during this period. The eligible legislative body shall not reconvene the open session of the meeting until at least one hour following the disruption, or until telephonic or internet service is restored, whichever is earlier.

(Ic) Upon reconvening the open session, if telephonic or internet service has not been restored, the eligible

legislative body shall adopt a finding by rollcall vote that good faith efforts to restore the telephonic or internet service have been made in accordance with the policy adopted pursuant to sub-sub-subclause (Ia) and that the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access.

(II) Subclause (I) does not apply to a meeting that is held to do any of the following:

(ia) Attend a judicial or administrative proceeding to which the local agency is a party.

(ib) Inspect real or personal property provided that the topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to the real or personal property.

(ic) Meet with elected or appointed officials of the United States or the State of California, solely to discuss

a legislative or regulatory issue affecting the local agency and over which the federal or state officials have jurisdiction.

(id) Meet in or nearby a facility owned by the agency, provided that the topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to the facility.

(ie) Meet in an emergency situation pursuant to Section 54956.5.

(ii) If an eligible legislative body elects to provide a two-way audiovisual platform, the eligible legislative body shall publicly post and provide a call-in option, and activate any automatic captioning function during the meeting if an automatic captioning function is included with the two-way audiovisual platform. If an eligible legislative body does not elect to provide a two-way audiovisual platform, the eligible legislative body shall provide a two-way telephonic service for

the public to participate in the meeting, pursuant to subclause (I).

(B) (i) All open and public meetings for which attendance via a two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform is provided in accordance with paragraph (1) shall provide the public with an opportunity to provide public comment in accordance with Section 54954.3 via the two-way telephonic or two-way audiovisual platform, and ensure the opportunity for the members of the public participating via a two-way telephonic or two-way audiovisual platform to provide public comment with the same time allotment as a person attending a meeting in person.

(2)(A) An eligible legislative body shall reasonably assist members of the public who wish to translate a public meeting into any language or wish to receive interpretation provided by another member of the public, so

long as the interpretation is not disrupting to the meeting, as defined in Section 54957.95. The eligible legislative body shall publicize instructions on how to request assistance under this subdivision. Assistance may include any of the following, as determined by the eligible legislative body:

(i)Arranging space for one or more interpreters at the meeting location.

(ii) Allowing extra time during the meeting for interpretation to occur.

(iii) Ensuring participants may utilize their personal equipment or reasonably access facilities for participants to access commercially available interpretation services.

(B) This section does not require an eligible legislative body to provide interpretation of any public meeting, however, an eligible legislative

body may elect to provide interpretation of any public meeting.

(C) The eligible legislative body is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any interpretation facilitated, assisted with, or provided under this subdivision. An action shall not be commenced or maintained against the eligible legislative body arising from the content or accuracy of any interpretation facilitated, assisted with, or provided under this subdivision.

(3)An eligible legislative body shall take the following actions to encourage residents, including those in underrepresented communities and non-English-speaking communities, to participate in public meetings:

(A)Have in place a system for electronically accepting and fulfilling requests for meeting agendas and documents pursuant to Section 54954.1 through email or through an

integrated agenda management platform. Information about how to make a request using this system shall be accessible through a prominent direct link posted on the primary internet website home page of the eligible legislative body.

(B)(i) Create and maintain an accessible internet webpage dedicated to public meetings that includes, or provides a link to, all of the following information:

(I)A general explanation of the public meeting process for the eligible legislative body.

(II) An explanation of the procedures for a member of the public to provide in-person or remote oral public comment during a public meeting or to submit written public comment.

(III) A calendar of all public meeting dates with calendar listings that include

the date, time, and location of each public meeting.

(IV) The agenda posted online pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 54954.2.

(ii) The eligible legislative body shall include a link to the webpage required by subparagraph (A) on the home page of the eligible legislative body’s internet website.

(C)(i) Make reasonable efforts, as determined by the legislative body, to invite groups that do not traditionally participate in public meetings to attend those meetings, which may include, but are not limited to, all the following:

(I)Media organizations that provide news coverage in the jurisdiction of the eligible legislative body, including media organizations that serve non-English-speaking communities.

(II) Good government, civil rights, civic engagement, neighborhood, and community group organizations, or similar organizations that are active in the jurisdiction of the eligible legislative body, including organizations active in non-English-speaking communities.

(ii) Legislative bodies shall have broad discretion in the choice of reasonable efforts they make under this subparagraph. No action shall be commenced or maintained against an eligible legislative body arising from failing to provide public meeting information to any specific group pursuant to this subparagraph.

(c)(1) (A) The agenda for each meeting of an eligible legislative body shall be translated into all applicable languages, and each translation shall be posted in accordance with Section 54954.2. Each

translation shall include instructions in the applicable language describing how to join the meeting by the telephonic or internet-based service option, including any requirements for registration for public comment.

(B) The accessible internet webpage provided under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) shall be translated into all applicable languages, and each translation shall be accessible through a prominent direct link posted on the primary internet website home page of the eligible legislative body.

(2)A translation made using a digital translation service shall satisfy the requirements of paragraph (1).

(3)The eligible legislative body shall make available a physical location that is freely accessible to the public in reasonable proximity to the physical location in which the agenda and

translations are posted as described in paragraph (1), and shall allow members of the public to post additional translations of the agenda in that location.

(4)The eligible legislative body is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any translation provided pursuant to this subdivision. No action shall be commenced or maintained against an eligible legislative body arising from the content, accuracy, posting, or removal of any translation provided by the eligible legislative body or posted by any person pursuant to this subdivision.

(5)For the purposes of this section, the agenda does not include the entire agenda packet.

(d)This section shall not be construed to affect or supersede any other applicable civil rights, nondiscrimination, or public access laws.

(e)For purposes of this section, all of the following definitions apply:

(1)(A) “Applicable languages” means languages, according to data from the most recent American Community Survey, spoken jointly by 20 percent or more of the applicable population, provided that 20 percent or more of the population that speaks that language in that city or county speaks English less than “very well.”

(B)For the purposes of subparagraph (A), the applicable population shall be determined as follows:

(i)For an eligible legislative body that is a city council or county board of supervisors, the applicable population shall be the population of the city or county.

(ii) For an eligible

legislative body of a special district, the applicable population shall be either of the following, at the discretion of the board of directors of the special district:

(I) The population of the county with the greatest population within the boundaries of the special district.

(II) The population of the service area of the special district, if the special district has the data to determine what languages spoken by the population within its service area meet the requirements of paragraph (A).

(C) If more than three languages meet the criteria set forth in subparagraph (A), “applicable languages” shall mean the three languages described in subparagraph (A) that are spoken by the largest percentage of the population.

(D) An

eligible legislative body may elect to determine the applicable languages based upon a source other than the most recent American Community Survey if it makes a finding, based upon substantial evidence, that the other source provides equally or more reliable data for the territory over which the eligible legislative body exercises jurisdiction.

(2)“Eligible legislative body” means any of the following:

(A)A city council of a city with a population of 30,000 or more.

(B)A county board of supervisors of a county, or city and county, with a population of 30,000 or more.

(C)A city council of a city located in a county with a population of 600,000 or more.

(D)The board of directors of a

special district that has an internet website and meets any of the following conditions:

(i)The boundaries of the special district include the entirety of a county with a population of 600,000 or more, and the special district has over 200 full-time equivalent employees.

(ii) The special district has over 1,000 full-time equivalent employees.

(iii) The special district has annual revenues, based on the most recent Financial Transaction Report data published by the California State Controller, that exceed four hundred million dollars ($400,000,000), adjusted annually for inflation commencing January 1, 2027, as measured by the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index from January 1 of the prior year to January 1 of the current year, and the special district employs over 200 full-time equivalent

employees.

(4)“Two-way telephonic service” means a telephone service that does not require internet access and allows participants to dial a telephone number to listen and verbally participate.

(f)This section shall become operative on July 1, 2026.

(g)This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.

§ 54953.5

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 6. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)Any person attending an open and public meeting of a legislative body of a local agency shall have the right to record the proceedings in the absence of a reasonable finding by the legislative body of the local agency that the recording cannot continue without noise, illumination, or obstruction of view that constitutes, or would constitute, a persistent disruption of the proceedings.

(b)Any recording of an open and public meeting made for whatever purpose by or at the direction of the local agency shall be subject to inspection pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1), but, notwithstanding Section 34090, may be erased or destroyed 30 days after the recording. Any inspection of an audio or video

recording shall be provided without charge on equipment made available by the local agency.

§ 54953.6

Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 32, Sec. 6. Effective March 30, 1994. Operative April 1, 1994, by Sec. 23 of Ch. 32.

No legislative body of a local agency shall prohibit or otherwise restrict the broadcast of its open and public meetings in the absence of a reasonable finding that the broadcast cannot be accomplished without noise, illumination, or obstruction of view that would constitute a persistent disruption of the proceedings.

§ 54953.7

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 7. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2026.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, legislative bodies of local agencies may impose requirements upon themselves which allow greater access to their meetings than prescribed by the minimal standards set forth in this chapter. In addition thereto, an elected legislative body of a local agency may impose those requirements on appointed legislative bodies of the local agency.

§ 54953.8

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 8. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)The legislative body of a local agency may use teleconferencing as authorized by subdivision (b) of Section 54953 without complying with the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 54953 in any of the circumstances described in Sections 54953.8.1 to 54953.8.7, inclusive.

(b)A legislative body that holds a teleconference meeting pursuant to this section shall, in addition to any other applicable requirements of this chapter, comply with all of the following:

(1)The legislative body shall provide at least one of the following as a means by which the public may remotely hear and visually observe the meeting, and remotely address the legislative body:

(A)A two-way audiovisual platform.

(B)A two-way telephonic service and a live webcasting of the meeting.

(2)In each instance in which notice of the time of the teleconference meeting held pursuant to this section is otherwise given or the agenda for the meeting is otherwise posted, the legislative body shall also give notice of the means by which members of the public may access the meeting and offer public comment. The agenda shall identify and include an opportunity for all persons to attend via a call-in option or an internet-based service option.

(3)In the event of a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting to members of the public using the call-in option or internet-based service option, or in the event of a disruption within the local agency’s control that prevents members of the public from offering public comments using the call-in option or internet-based service option, the legislative body shall take no further action on items appearing on the meeting agenda until public access to the meeting via the call-in option or internet-based service option is restored. Actions taken on agenda items during a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting may be challenged pursuant to Section 54960.1.

(4)The legislative body shall not require public

comments to be submitted in advance of the meeting and must provide an opportunity for the public to address the legislative body and offer comment in real time.

(5)Notwithstanding Section 54953.3, an individual desiring to provide public comment through the use of an internet website, or other online platform, not under the control of the local legislative body, that requires registration to log in to a teleconference may be required to register as required by the third-party internet website or online platform to participate.

(6)(A) A legislative body that provides a timed public comment period for each agenda item shall not close the

public comment period for the agenda item, or the opportunity to register, pursuant to paragraph (5), to provide public comment until that timed public comment period has elapsed.

(B)A legislative body that does not provide a timed public comment period, but takes public comment separately on each agenda item, shall allow a reasonable amount of time per agenda item to allow public members the opportunity to provide public comment, including time for members of the public to register pursuant to paragraph (5), or otherwise be recognized for the purpose of providing public comment.

(C)A legislative body that provides a timed general public comment period that does

not correspond to a specific agenda item shall not close the public comment period or the opportunity to register, pursuant to paragraph (5), until the timed general public comment period has elapsed.

(7)Any member of the legislative body who participates in a teleconference meeting from a remote location pursuant to this section and the specific provision of law that the member relied upon to permit their participation by teleconferencing shall be listed in the minutes of the meeting.

(8)The legislative body shall have and implement a procedure for receiving and swiftly resolving requests for reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities, consistent with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132), and resolving any doubt in

favor of accessibility. In each instance in which notice of the time of the meeting is otherwise given or the agenda for the meeting is otherwise posted, the legislative body shall also give notice of the procedure for receiving and resolving requests for accommodation.

(9)The legislative body shall conduct meetings subject to this chapter consistent with applicable civil rights and nondiscrimination laws.

(c)A local agency shall identify and make available to legislative bodies a list of one or more meeting locations that may be available for use by the legislative bodies to conduct their meetings.

(d)(1) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a legislative body from providing the public with additional teleconference locations.

(2)Nothing in this section shall prohibit a legislative body from providing the public with additional physical locations in which the public may observe and address the legislative body by electronic means.

(e)A member of a legislative body who participates in a teleconference meeting from a remote location pursuant to this section shall publicly disclose at the meeting before any action is taken whether any other individuals 18 years of age or older are present in the room at the remote location

with the member, and the general nature of the member’s relationship with those individuals.

(f)The teleconferencing provisions described in Section 54953 and Sections 54953.8.1 to 54953.8.7, inclusive, are cumulative. A legislative body may elect to use any teleconferencing provisions that are applicable to a meeting, regardless of whether any other teleconferencing provisions would also be applicable to that meeting.

(g)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1)“Remote location” means a location from which a member of a legislative body participates in a meeting pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (b), other than any physical meeting location designated in the notice of the meeting. Remote locations need not be accessible to the public.

(2)“Teleconference” means a meeting of a legislative body, the members of which are in different locations, connected by electronic means, through either audio or video, or both.

(3)“Two-way audiovisual platform” means an online platform that provides participants with the ability to participate in a meeting via both an interactive video conference and a two-way telephonic service. A two-way audiovisual platform may be structured to disable the use of video for the public participants.

(4)“Two-way telephonic service” means a telephone service that does not require internet access and allows

participants to dial a telephone number to listen and verbally participate.

(5)“Webcasting” means a streaming video broadcast online or on television, using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners and viewers.

§ 54954

Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 257, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005.

(a)Each legislative body of a local agency, except for advisory committees or standing committees, shall provide, by ordinance, resolution, bylaws, or by whatever other rule is required for the conduct of business by that body, the time and place for holding regular meetings. Meetings of advisory committees or standing committees, for which an agenda is posted at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 54954.2, shall be considered for purposes of this chapter as regular meetings of the legislative

body.

(b)Regular and special meetings of the legislative body shall be held within the boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, except to do any of the following:

(1)Comply with state or federal law or court order, or attend a judicial or administrative proceeding to which the local agency is a party.

(2)Inspect real or personal property which cannot be conveniently brought within the boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction provided that the topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to the real or personal property.

(3)Participate in meetings or discussions of multiagency significance that are outside the boundaries of a local agency’s jurisdiction.

However, any meeting or discussion held pursuant to this subdivision shall take place within the jurisdiction of one of the participating local agencies and be noticed by all participating agencies as provided for in this chapter.

(4)Meet in the closest meeting facility if the local agency has no meeting facility within the boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, or at the principal office of the local agency if that office is located outside the territory over which the agency exercises jurisdiction.

(5)Meet outside their immediate jurisdiction with elected or appointed officials of the United States or the State of California when a local meeting would be impractical, solely to discuss a legislative or regulatory issue affecting the local agency and over which the federal or state officials have jurisdiction.

(6)Meet outside their immediate jurisdiction if the meeting takes place in or nearby a facility owned by the agency, provided that the topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to the facility.

(7)Visit the office of the local agency’s legal counsel for a closed session on pending litigation held pursuant to Section 54956.9, when to do so would reduce legal fees or costs.

(c)Meetings of the governing board of a school district shall be held within the district, except under the circumstances enumerated in subdivision (b), or to do any of the following:

(1)Attend a conference on nonadversarial collective bargaining techniques.

(2)Interview members of the public residing in

another district with reference to the trustees’ potential employment of an applicant for the position of the superintendent of the district.

(3)Interview a potential employee from another district.

(d)Meetings of a joint powers authority shall occur within the territory of at least one of its member agencies, or as provided in subdivision (b). However, a joint powers authority which has members throughout the state may meet at any facility in the state which complies with the requirements of Section 54961.

(e)If, by reason of fire, flood, earthquake, or other emergency, it shall be unsafe to meet in the place designated, the meetings shall be held for the duration of the emergency at the place designated by the presiding officer of the legislative body or his or her designee in a notice to the local media that

have requested notice pursuant to Section 54956, by the most rapid means of communication available at the time.

§ 54954.1

Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 763, Sec. 1. (SB 274) Effective January 1, 2022.

Any person may request that a copy of the agenda, or a copy of all the documents constituting the agenda packet, of any meeting of a legislative body be mailed to that person. If a local agency has an internet website, the legislative body or its designee shall email a copy of, or website link to, the agenda or a copy of all the documents constituting the agenda packet if the person requests that the item or items be delivered by email. If the local agency determines it is technologically infeasible to send a copy of all documents constituting the agenda packet or a link to a website that contains the documents by

email or by other electronic means, the legislative body or its designee shall send by mail a copy of the agenda or a website link to the agenda and mail a copy of all other documents constituting the agenda packet in accordance with the mailing requirements established pursuant to this section. If requested, the agenda and documents in the agenda packet shall be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability, as required by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132), and the federal rules and regulations adopted in implementation thereof. Upon receipt of the written request, the legislative body or its designee shall cause the requested materials to be mailed at the time the agenda is posted pursuant to Section 54954.2 and 54956 or upon distribution to all, or a majority of all, of

the members of a legislative body, whichever occurs first. Any request for mailed copies of agendas or agenda packets shall be valid for the calendar year in which it is filed, and must be renewed following January 1 of each year. The legislative body may establish a fee for mailing the agenda or agenda packet, which fee shall not exceed the cost of providing the service. Failure of the requesting person to receive the agenda or agenda packet pursuant to this section shall not constitute grounds for invalidation of the actions of the legislative body taken at the meeting for which the agenda or agenda packet was not received.

§ 54954.2