Local government.

The Ralph M. Brown Act enables the legislative body of a local agency to call both regular and special meetings. The act requires the legislative body of a local agency to post, at least 72 hours before the meeting, an agenda containing a brief general description of each item of business to be transacted or discussed at a regular meeting, in a location that is freely accessible to members of the public, and to provide a notice containing similar information with respect to a special meeting at least 24 hours prior to the special meeting. The act requires that the agenda or notice be freely accessible to members of the public, and be posted on the local agency's Internet Web site, if the local agency has one. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would protect the right of the public to participate in open deliberations of the legislative bodies of local agencies by clarifying the appropriate use of special meetings.