EXHIBIT A
INTERNET SERVICE AND TELEPHONIC SERVICE DISRUPTION POLICY
Background
The Ralph M. Brown Act, commonly known as the “Brown Act,” is California’s “sunshine” law for local government. The Brown Act is found in the California Government Code commencing with Section 54950.1 In 2025, the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 707 (“SB 707”), which was signed into law on October 3, 2025, and is effective January 1, 2026. SB 707 enacted an extensive modernization of the Brown Act.
SB 707 a dds a new Section 54953.4 that requires specific actions be taken by an “eligible legislative body” to make meetings more accessible to the public. An “eligible legislative body” is defined in Section 54953.4 (e)(2) and a s applied to the City of Fairfield, the City Council is an eligible legislative body.
Starting on July 1, 2026, public meetings h eld by an eligible legislative body are required to include an opportunity for members of the public to attend via a two -way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform (such as Zoom), commonly referred to as a “hybrid meeting.” The only exception is if adequate telephonic or internet service is not operational at the meeting location.
In conjunction with hybrid meetings, SB 707 requires the City Cou ncil on or before July 1, 2026, approve a policy regarding the disruption of telephonic or internet services occurring during the meeting. The adoption of such policy must occur at a noticed public meeting of the City Council in open session and not as an item on the consent calendar.
The purpose of this policy is to adopt the “Internet Service and Telephonic Service Disruption Policy” in the manner and content required by Section 54953.4(b)(1)(A)(i)(I) and (II).
City of Fairfield Teleconference Meeting Disruption Policy
1. Designation of Responsible Person of the City’s Two -Way Audiovisual Platform or Two-Way Telephonic Service: The City Manager or his or her designee shall identify a City employee or vendor who is responsible for operating the two-way audiovisual platform or two- way telephonic service, referred to herein as the “Hybrid Platform”, at noticed public meetings of the City Council (“Responsible Person”). Typically, the Responsible Person handles the operation of the microphones, cameras and other audio visual equipment and/or telephonic or voice equipment during City Council meetings and ensures that the Hybrid Platform has connectivity so that the meeting is displayed, both visually and with audio , in the case of an audiovisual platform such as Zoom or Teams, or telephonically if a telephonic system is utilized.
1 All section references are to the California Government Code.
2. Role of the City Clerk. The City Clerk is the person designated at City Council meetings for operating the Hybrid Platform to ensure the recording of the City Council meeting and for interacting with the Hybrid Platform to receive and record public comments. The City Clerk works within the Hybrid Platform as the meeting host to queue speakers who de sire to provide public comment, admit speaker s into the meeting when it is their turn to speak and thereafter remove said speakers , interact with the speakers as needed, including muting and unmuting speakers, and closes the queue when the public comment period ends. If a telephonic system is used, the City Clerk conducts the same or similar activities. The City Clerk interacts with the Mayor so that speakers who participate virtually or telephonically are called upon by the Mayor to provide their comments.
3. Disruption of the Hybrid Platform - Notification to the Mayor. If the Responsible Person or the City Clerk determines at any time during the City Council meeting that the Hybrid Platform is experiencing technical difficulties such that there is no telephonic or internet service in order for the Hybrid Platform to be operational, or there is a disruption or other technical issue that makes two -way remote participation not possible during the City Council meeting (for example, the City Council meeting is no longer able to be observed or heard by the public via the Hybrid Platform or the public is unable to virtually or telephonically attend the City Council meeting via the Hybrid Platform), the Responsible Person or the City Clerk shall immediately inform the Mayor or the presiding officer if the Mayor is not in attendanc e at the meeting, that the Hybrid Platform has been disrupted and a recess is required in order to restore service to the Hybrid Platform.
4. Announcement by the Mayor. The Mayor or presiding officer shall make an announcement regarding the need to call a recess because there is a disruption or other technical issue that has rendered the Hybrid Platform non -operational preventing two -way virtual or telephonic remote participation. After such announcement, the Mayor or presiding officer shall call for a recess and inform the in-person audience that under the Brown Act, the recess may last for up to an hour or until the service is restored to the Hybrid Platform. Pursuant to the Brown Act, the City Council is required to recess the open session of the City Council meeting for at least one hour following the disruption, or until telephonic or internet service is restored, whichever is earlier.
5. Recordation of the Time Recess is Called. The City Clerk shall physically in writing record the time when the recess is called by the Mayor or the presiding officer if the Mayor is not in attendance at the meeting.
6. Good Faith Attempt to Restore Service to the Hybrid Platform. During the recess, the Responsible Person and/or the City Clerk and any other member of City Staff shall make a good faith attempt to restore service to the Hybrid Platform. This includes troubleshooting any issues impacting connectivity including but not limited to the following : internet or telephonic connectivity issues (for example, check the connection, check the connection speed, test the internet bandwidth, contact the internet or telephonic provider, etc.), or audio or video quality
concerns or webcam and audio issues ( check settings of equipment and/or Hybrid Platform, check connections and cable s, check app permissions (if applicable), ensure webcams or other cameras not blocked, adjust camera settings, test of audio, reinstall app or program (if applicable) etc.).
7. Troubleshooting Hybrid Platform is Succe ssful. If the Responsible Person, City Clerk, or any other member of City Staff is successful in restoring the service to the Hybrid Platform within one hour of when the recess was called, the City Clerk shall inform the Mayor or presiding officer that the matter has been resolved. The Mayor or presiding officer shall then reconvene the City Council meeting and shall inform the public that service has been restored to the Hybrid Platform. The City Clerk shall physically in writing record the time of when the City Council meeting is reconvened.
8. Troubleshooting Hybrid Platform is Not Successful. If the Responsible Person, City Clerk, or any other member of City Staff was not successful in restoring the service to the Hybrid Platform within one hour of whe n the recess was called, the City Clerk shall inform the Mayor ore presiding officer that after making a good faith attempt to restore service, service to the Hybrid Platform was unable to be restored. The City Clerk shall give a description of the efforts made to restore service. The City Clerk shall physically in writing record the time of when the City Council meeting is reconvened.
9. Reconvening the Open Session of the City Council Meeting. The Mayor or presiding officer shall subsequently reconvene th e City Council meeting. Upon reconvening the meeting, the Mayor or presiding officer shall inform the City Council and the public that services to the Hybrid Platform were unable to be restored and the Mayor or presiding officer shall request that a finding be made as follows: (i) that good faith efforts to restore the telephonic or internet service have been made in accordance with the City’s Internet Service and Telephonic Service Disruption Policy; and (ii) that the public interest in continuing th e meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access. The Mayor or presiding officer shall call for a motion, ask for a second and ask the City Clerk to take a roll call vote. If the motion making the finding is passed, the City Council may continue the City Council meeting.
10. Certain Meetings Exempt. The requirement set forth in Government Code Section 54953.4 that open and public meetings shall include an opportunity for members of the public to attend the City Council meeting via a two -way remote system (either telephonically or via an audiovisual platform), does not apply to the following meetings: (i) a meeting to attend a judicial or administrative proceeding to which the City is a party; (ii) a meeting to inspect real or personal property provided that the topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to the real or personal pr operty; (iii) a meeting with elected or appointed officials of the United States or the State of California, solely to discuss a legislative or regulatory issue affecting the city and over which the federal or state officials have jurisdiction; (iv) a meeting in or nearby a facility owned by the City, provided that the topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to the facility; and (v) a m eeting in an emergency situation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.5.
11. Closed Session During a Recess. During the recess described herein, the City Council may meet in closed session during this period for items listed in the closed session agenda for that meeting.