Fremont City Council Meeting: 06/09/26 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: City Clerk's Office
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Plans, Policies and Studies
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5744) DOC ID: 5744
Updated: 6/5/2026 11:16 AM by Alberto Quintanilla Page 1 Senate Bill 707 Outreach Efforts - Adoption of Resolution Determining Reasonable Efforts to Encourage Public Participation in Meetings Pursuant to Government Code § 54953.4
Contact Persons:
Name: Alberto Quintanilla Geneva Bosques
Title: City Clerk Director of Communications and
Legislative Affairs
Div/Dept: City Clerk's Office City Manager's Office
Phone: 510-284-4009 510-284-4094
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: Senate Bill 707 (2025) amended the Ralph M. Brown Act to require local agencies to make reasonable efforts to encourage public participation in meetings, particularly among communities that have not traditionally participated and among non-English-speaking communities.
Government Code § 54953.4(b)(3)(C) further requires the legislative body to formally determine what constitutes those reasonable efforts.
City staff seek to ensure that diverse Fremont communities can access City Council and Council Committee agendas in the language they are most comfortable with, recognizing that even those who use English may prefer engaging with their local government in their native language.
The proposed resolution fulfills the statutory requirement and identifies the City’s outreach practices to promote participation, transparency and engagement.
Background: The Ralph M. Brown Act establishes the framework for open and public meetings for local legislative bodies. Senate Bill 707 expanded these requirements to improve access and participation, especially for underrepresented communities. Government Code § 54953.4(b)(3)(C) requires the City Council to identify and determine reasonable efforts to encourage such participation.
The City uses a wide range of communications tools to share information with the public, including platforms and practices designed to support language access. Additionally, the City’s website utilizes a language access translation feature that allows users to view content in multiple languages.
Adoption of the resolution formally acknowledges these communication Council Staff Report (ID # 5744) Meeting of June 9, 2026 Updated: 6/5/2026 11:16 AM by Alberto Quintanilla Page 2 strategies and reinforces the City's commitment to making reasonable, proactive efforts to broaden participation and enhance access for underrepresented communities.
Discussion/Analysis: The resolution identifies a range of outreach practices that constitute reasonable efforts to encourage participation. These practices are broad by design, recognizing that communication methods and tools public expectations, and community needs evolve over time.
Key components include:
1. Language Access for City Council Meetings Webpage
The City will create a new language access webpage on the City’s website providing instructions detailing how members of the Fremont community can access City Council agendas and materials in the language they are comfortable using.
2. Council Meetings; Electronic Access, Viewing and Agenda Subscriptions
The City will continue to maintain electronic access to agendas and meeting materials through the City website and provide subscription-based notifications for public convenience. The City will provide real-time translated closed captioning during live meetings via the City’s video conferencing system used for virtual meetings, with a full transcript available at the conclusion of each meeting.
3. Use of Existing Communication Channels
Outreach may include the City website, newsletters (print and digital), social media, bulletin boards, public counters, community meetings, and other established communication methods.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5744) Meeting of June 9, 2026 Updated: 6/5/2026 11:16 AM by Alberto Quintanilla Page 3
4. Flexible and Evolving Framework
The resolution clarifies that these practices form a flexible framework and may be modified over time based on available resources, changing technology, and evolving community needs.
5. No Requirement to Notify Any Specific Group
In accordance with Government Code § 54953.4(b)(3)(C)(ii), the resolution reiterates that no action arises from failing to notify any particular group, ensuring City discretion in implementing outreach practices.
Overall, the resolution documents compliance with SB 707 and formalizes public outreach methods that align with the City’s ongoing commitment to transparency and equitable access to government.
Fiscal Impact: Adoption of the resolution is not expected to result in significant additional costs. Existing communication channels and outreach practices are already in place, and any enhanced or multilingual communication efforts will be implemented as resources allow.
Environmental Review: This item does not constitute a project under CEQA Guidelines § 15378, and no environmental review is required under CEQA Guidelines § 15060(c)(3).
ATTACHMENTS:
• SB 707 Public Participation Outreach Resolution
Recommendation: Adopt a resolution determining reasonable efforts to encourage public participation in meetings pursuant to Government Code § 54953.4.