Local government meetings: legislative body: definition.

Existing law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, requires each legislative body of a local agency to provide the time and place for holding regular meetings and requires that all meetings of a legislative body be open and public and all persons be permitted to attend unless a closed session is authorized. Existing law defines for these purposes the term "legislative body" and includes within that definition a board of a local agency. This bill would modify the definition of the term "legislative body" to include as a board, an assessment appeals board which may meet in closed session, as specified by another provision of existing law. By extending open meeting requirements to proceedings of assessment appeals boards, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.