Fremont City Council Meeting: 02/14/23 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: City Attorney's Office
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Presentations
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 4810) DOC ID: 4810
Updated: 2/10/2023 9:17 AM by Alberto Quintanilla Page 1
BROWN ACT TRAINING
Contact Persons:
Name: Rafael Alvarado
Title: City Attorney
Div/Dept: City Attorney's Office
Phone: 510-284-4030
E-Mail: [email protected]
Executive Summary: On December 13, 2022, the City Council directed City staff to arrange a Brown Act training for the City Council. Consequently, City staff has prepared a presentation on the requirements of the Brown Act at the February 14, 2023 City Council meeting.
BACKGROUND: The Brown Act, codified in California Government Code section 54950 et. seq., is the state’s open meeting law. It applies to the meetings of California legislative bodies including city councils, boards, commissions and committees, and requires these meetings to be accessible to members of the public. The Brown Act provides that “[a]ll meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.” Confidential meetings of a legislative body, known as closed session meetings, are narrow exceptions to the public access rules of the Brown Act and must be specifically authorized under the law. The Brown Act strikes a balance between the importance for public access and the need for the occasional confidential discussion of certain subject matter.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: On December 13, 2022, the City Council directed City staff to arrange a Brown Act training for the City Council. Consequently, City staff has prepared a presentation on the requirements of the Brown Act. The presentation will provide an overview and refresher of the Brown Act, including general open meeting rules, evolving teleconferencing procedures, and closed session and confidentiality requirements.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Receive the report and presentation.