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	<ns0:Description>
		<ns0:Id>20250AB__046798AMD</ns0:Id>
		<ns0:VersionNum>98</ns0:VersionNum>
		<ns0:History>
			<ns0:Action>
				<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
				<ns0:ActionDate>2025-02-06</ns0:ActionDate>
			</ns0:Action>
			<ns0:Action>
				<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
				<ns0:ActionDate>2025-04-21</ns0:ActionDate>
			</ns0:Action>
		</ns0:History>
		<ns0:LegislativeInfo>
			<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
			<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
			<ns0:MeasureType>AB</ns0:MeasureType>
			<ns0:MeasureNum>467</ns0:MeasureNum>
			<ns0:MeasureState>AMD</ns0:MeasureState>
		</ns0:LegislativeInfo>
		<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Fong</ns0:AuthorText>
		<ns0:Authors>
			<ns0:Legislator>
				<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
				<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
				<ns0:Name>Fong</ns0:Name>
			</ns0:Legislator>
		</ns0:Authors>
		<ns0:Title> An act to amend Section 54953.8 of the Government Code, relating to local government. </ns0:Title>
		<ns0:RelatingClause>local government</ns0:RelatingClause>
		<ns0:GeneralSubject>
			<ns0:Subject>Open meetings: teleconferences: neighborhood councils.</ns0:Subject>
		</ns0:GeneralSubject>
		<ns0:DigestText>
			<html:p>Existing law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a legislative body, as defined, of a local agency be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend and participate. 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, except as specified.</html:p>
			<html:p>
				Existing law,
			 until January 1, 2026, authorizes specified neighborhood city councils to use alternate teleconferencing provisions related to notice, agenda, and public participation, as prescribed, if, among other requirements, the city council has adopted an authorizing resolution and 
				<ns0:Fraction>
					<ns0:Numerator>2</ns0:Numerator>
					<ns0:Denominator>3</ns0:Denominator>
				</ns0:Fraction>
				 of the neighborhood city council votes to use alternate teleconference provisions, as specified.
			</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would extend the authorization for specified neighborhood city councils to use the alternate teleconferencing provisions described above until January 1, 2030.</html:p>
			<html:p>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.</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.</html:p>
			<html:p>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.</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would make
			 legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the neighborhood councils of the City of Los Angeles. </html:p>
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		<ns0:DigestKey>
			<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
			<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
			<ns0:FiscalCommittee>NO</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
			<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
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			<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
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				<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
				<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
				<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
				<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
				<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
				<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
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	</ns0:Description>
	<ns0:Bill id="bill">
		<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_7820E430-67FD-4192-96B0-F1AF9ABD76A1">
			<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
			<ns0:Content>
				<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares that neighborhood councils in the City of Los Angeles provide important community input to the city council. Unlike other legislative bodies that have access to regular meeting locations, these volunteer, uncompensated, elected members have had trouble finding public locations to hold their meetings. While the Legislature recently granted additional teleconferencing flexibility for legislative bodies, the additional teleconferencing flexibility of this act is necessary to account for the specific needs of neighborhood councils in the City of Los Angeles.</html:p>
			</ns0:Content>
		</ns0:BillSection>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_CC8B590C-2261-44E9-8C12-1D7DF485C3DC">
			<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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				Section 54953.8 of the 
				<ns0:DocName>Government Code</ns0:DocName>
				 is amended to read:
			</ns0:ActionLine>
			<ns0:Fragment>
				<ns0:LawSection id="id_2925E58B-B026-46AF-AB96-343E06A61A3F">
					<ns0:Num>54953.8.</ns0:Num>
					<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_58D045B0-8B01-457C-B690-0158082E53CD">
						<ns0:Content>
							<html:p>
								(a)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								An eligible legislative body may use teleconferencing without complying with paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 54953 if the eligible legislative body complies with paragraphs (2) to (4), inclusive.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								An eligible legislative body may only use teleconferencing as described in this section after all the following have occurred:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(A)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								The city council for a city described in subdivision (c) considers whether to adopt a resolution to authorize eligible legislative bodies to use teleconferencing as described in paragraph (1) at an open and regular meeting.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(B)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								If the city council adopts a resolution described in subparagraph (A), an eligible legislative body may elect to use teleconferencing pursuant to this section if two-thirds of the eligible legislative body votes to do so. The eligible legislative body shall notify the city council if it elects to use teleconferencing pursuant to this section and its justification for doing so.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(C)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Upon receiving notification from a legislative body as described in subparagraph (B), the city council may adopt a resolution to prohibit the eligible legislative body from using teleconferencing pursuant to this section.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(3)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								After completing the requirements in paragraph (2), an eligible legislative body that holds a meeting pursuant to this subdivision
						shall do all of the following:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(A)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								In each instance in which notice of the time of the teleconferenced meeting is otherwise given or the agenda for the meeting is otherwise posted, the eligible 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.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(B)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								In the event of a disruption that prevents the eligible 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 eligible legislative body’s control that prevents members of the public from offering public comments
						using the call-in option or internet-based service option, the eligible 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 eligible legislative body from broadcasting the meeting may be challenged pursuant to Section 54960.1.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(C)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								The eligible legislative body shall not require public comments to be submitted in advance of the meeting and shall provide an opportunity for the public to address the legislative body and offer comment in real time.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(D)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								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 eligible 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.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(E)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								(i)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								An eligible 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 subparagraph (D), to provide public comment until that timed public comment period has elapsed.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(ii)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								An eligible 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 subparagraph (D), or otherwise be recognized for the purpose of providing public comment.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(iii)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								An eligible 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 subparagraph (D), until the timed general public comment period has elapsed.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(F)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								At least a quorum of the members of the eligible legislative body shall participate from locations within the boundaries of the city in which the eligible legislative body is established.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(G)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								At least once per year, at least a quorum
						of the members of the eligible legislative body shall participate in person from a singular physical location that is open to the public and within the boundaries of the eligible legislative body.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(4)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								An eligible legislative body that holds a meeting pursuant to this subdivision shall do the following, as applicable:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(A)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								If the meeting is during regular business hours of the offices of the city council member that represents the area that includes the eligible legislative body, the eligible legislative body shall provide a publicly accessible physical location from which the public may attend or comment, which shall be the offices of the city council member who represents the area where the eligible legislative body is located, unless the eligible legislative body identifies
						an alternative location.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(B)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								If the meeting is outside regular business hours, the eligible legislative body shall make reasonable efforts to accommodate any member of the public that requests an accommodation to participate in the meeting. For the purposes of this subparagraph, “accommodation” means providing a publicly accessible physical location for the member of the public to participate from, providing access to technology necessary to participate in the meeting, or identifying locations or resources available that could provide the member of the public with an opportunity to participate in the meeting.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(b)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								The legislative body shall comply with all other requirements of Section 54953.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(c)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								As used in this section,
						“eligible legislative body” means a neighborhood council that is an advisory body with the purpose to promote more citizen participation in government and make government more responsive to local needs that is established pursuant to the charter of a city with a population of more than 3,000,000 people that is subject to this chapter.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(d)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.
							</html:p>
						</ns0:Content>
					</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
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			</ns0:Fragment>
		</ns0:BillSection>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_7A16B7EF-7685-477B-AB6C-99990F7E5F4B">
			<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
			<ns0:Content>
				<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares that Section 2 of this act, which amends Section 54953.8 of the Government Code, imposes a limitation on the public’s right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:</html:p>
				<html:p>During the COVID-19 pandemic, audio and video teleconference were widely used to conduct public meetings in lieu of physical location meetings, and
				those public meetings have been productive, increased public participation by all members of the public regardless of their location and ability to travel to physical meeting locations, increased the pool of people who are able to serve on these bodies, and protected the health and safety of civil servants and the public. Extending the operation of teleconference as conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic for neighborhood councils will continue these benefits.</html:p>
			</ns0:Content>
		</ns0:BillSection>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_1020FDCD-BBAB-4421-8D10-DF4CF69CE996">
			<ns0:Num>SEC. 4.</ns0:Num>
			<ns0:Content>
				<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares that Section 2 of this act, which amends Section 54953.8 of the Government Code, furthers, within the meaning of paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution, the purposes of that constitutional section as it relates to the right of public access to the meetings of local public bodies or the writings of local public officials and local agencies. Pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (b) of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution, the Legislature makes the following findings:</html:p>
				<html:p>During the COVID-19 pandemic, audio and video teleconference were widely used to conduct
				public meetings in lieu of physical location meetings, and those public meetings have been productive, increased public participation by all members of the public regardless of their location and ability to travel to physical meeting locations, increased the pool of people who are able to serve on these bodies, and protected the health and safety of civil servants and the public. Extending the operation of teleconference as conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic for neighborhood councils will continue these benefits. </html:p>
			</ns0:Content>
		</ns0:BillSection>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_9E6E9D4C-F228-40A3-A853-B2402C3FD9A2">
			<ns0:Num>SEC. 5.</ns0:Num>
			<ns0:Content>
				<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the specific needs of neighborhood councils in the City of Los Angeles.</html:p>
			</ns0:Content>
		</ns0:BillSection>
	</ns0:Bill>
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