Governor Newsom signed SB 707, which modernizes the Brown Act and expands public meeting access. It includes changes designed to increase public participation and remote teleconferencing access. The bill mainly goes into effect on January 1, 2026, with some parts going into effect on July 1, 2026. The Brown Act was enacted in 1953 to guarantee the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies.
The new requirements include:
- Legislative body members may participate by teleconference as an accommodation for a disability. They must participate using both audio and visual technology and must disclose if another adult is in the room with them and that person’s relationship to the member. The teleconferencing member’s participation counts towards a quorum.
- Eligible legislative bodies must offer public remote access to open meetings via telephonic or audiovisual platforms, and recess meetings for at least one hour to bring back service if remote access fails. These eligible legislative bodies must translate meeting agendas and participation instructions into applicable languages; provide a multilingual, accessible public webpage explaining comment procedures and meetings; and assist with interpretation requests.
To learn more, read New Legislation Makes Changes to California’s Transparency and Ethics Laws.