Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences.

Existing law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a legislative body be open and public, and that all persons be permitted to attend unless a closed session is authorized. The act generally requires for teleconferencing that the legislative body of a local agency that elects to use teleconferencing post agendas at all teleconference locations, identify each teleconference location in the notice and agenda of the meeting or proceeding, and have each teleconference location be accessible to the public. Existing law also requires that, during the teleconference, at least a quorum of the members of the legislative body participate from locations within the boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction. This bill, with respect to those general provisions on teleconferencing, would require a legislative body electing to use teleconferencing to instead post agendas at a singular designated physical meeting location, as defined, rather than at all teleconference locations. The bill would remove the requirements for the legislative body of the local agency to identify each teleconference location in the notice and agenda, that each teleconference location be accessible to the public, and that at least a quorum of the members participate from locations within the boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction. The bill would instead provide that, for purposes of establishing a quorum of the legislative body, members of the body may participate remotely, at the designated physical location, or at both the designated physical meeting location and remotely. The bill would require the legislative body to have at least 2 meetings per year in which the legislative body's members are in person at a singular designated physical meeting location. Existing law, until January 1, 2026, authorizes the legislative body of a local agency to use alternative teleconferencing provisions without complying with the general teleconferencing requirements that agendas be posted at each teleconference, that each teleconference location be identified in the notice and agenda, and that each teleconference location be accessible to the public, if at least a quorum of the members of the legislative body participates in person from a singular physical location clearly identified on the agenda that is open to the public and situated within the local agency's jurisdiction. Under existing law, these alternative teleconferencing provisions require the legislative body to provide at least one of 2 specified means by which the public may remotely hear and visually observe the meeting. Under existing law, these alternative teleconferencing provisions authorize a member to participate remotely if the member is participating remotely for just cause, limited to twice per year, or due to emergency circumstances, contingent upon a request to, and action by, the legislative body, as prescribed. Existing law specifies that just cause includes travel while on official business of the legislative body or another state or local agency. This bill would revise the alternative provisions, operative until January 1, 2026, to make these provisions operative indefinitely. The bill would delete the restriction that prohibits a member, based on just cause, from participating remotely for more than 2 meetings per calendar year. The bill would delete the requirement for the legislative body to provide at least one of 2 specified means by which the public may remotely hear and visually observe the meeting. The bill would also delete a provision that requires a member participating remotely to publicly disclose at the meeting before action is taken whether there are individuals 18 years of age present in the room at the remote location and the general nature of the member's relationship to those individuals. The bill would further delete a provision that prohibits a member from participating remotely for a period of more than 3 consecutive months or 20% of the regular meetings within a calendar year, or more than 2 meetings if the legislative body regularly meets fewer than 10 times per calendar year. The bill would expand the definition of just cause to include travel related to a member of a legislative body's occupation. The bill would make related, conforming changes. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.