Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: John Nibbelin, County Attorney
Tara Heumann, Deputy County Attorney
Subject: Policy Regarding Telephone or Internet Service Disruption of Remote Access During Board of Supervisors Meetings Subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act.
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution approving a policy regarding telephone or internet service disruption of remote access during Board of Supervisors meetings subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act.
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BACKGROUND:
In 2025, the California Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, Senate Bill 707 ("SB 707"), which, among other things, makes important changes to the rules for remote attendance for meetings subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act ("Brown Act").
Under SB 707, the Board of Supervisors of a county with a population of more than 30,000 residents must provide an opportunity for members of the public to participate in all meetings subject to the Brown Act via a two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform.
SB 707 also requires that, by July 1, 2026, the Board adopt a policy regarding efforts to restore remote participation after a disruption of telephonic or internet service that occurs during a meeting that is subject to the Brown Act.
The policy must provide that, following an internet or phone service disruption that disables the public participation platform during a such a meeting, the Board shall recess for at least an hour while good faith efforts are made to restore the service. If the service cannot be restored, the Board can resume the open session portion of the meeting by determining, by majority roll call vote, that good faith efforts have been made and that the public interest in continuing the open session portion of the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access.
DISCUSSION:
Staff has developed a proposed remote access di...
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