CITY OF MENIFEE
SUBJECT: Overview of Recent Amendments to the Ralph M. Brown Act MEETING DATE: June 17, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
PREPARED BY: Stephanie Roseen, City Clerk
REVIEWED BY: Stephanie Roseen, City Clerk
APPROVED BY: Armando G. Villa, City Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Receive an overview of the new legislative amendments to the Ralph M. Brown Act related to mandatory remote public participation for City Council meeting; and
2. Adopt the Disruption of Telephonic or Internet Service During City Council Meetings Policy as required by the Ralph M. Brown Act, outlining disruption procedures for two-way remote access at City Council Meetings; and
3. Adopt a resolution determining reasonable efforts to encourage public participation in City Council meetings.
DISCUSSION
Background
The Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code Sections 54950 – 54936) (Brown Act) is California’s open meeting law for local government agencies and was enacted to ensure transparency, accountability, and public participation in local government decision-making processes. Public meetings of local legislative bodies, including city councils, commissions, and committees are governed by the Brown Act. The law establishes that the actions and deliberations of local agencies are to be conducted openly so that the public may remain informed and actively participate in governmental affairs.
Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), signed into law in October 2025, amended the Brown Act through a broad overhaul of existing public meeting requirements. Most notably, the legislation expanded requirements related to remote public participation for City Council meetings by requiring qualifying agencies to provide hybrid meeting options that allow the public to attend and participate both in person and remotely.
Based on Menifee’s population of over 100,000 residents, the City Council is considered an
City of Menifee Staff Report
Ralph M. Brown Act Amendments Overview
June 17, 2026
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“Eligible Legislative Body”. Accordingly, the City Council is required to comply with the legislation’s hybrid meeting requirements by July 1, 2026. Due to the previously approved cancellation of the July 1, 2026 regular City Council meeting, the first City Council meeting to offer hybrid public participation will be held on July 15, 2026. Summarized below are the key changes to the Brown Act.
Mandatory Remote Public Participation – City Council Meetings Only Beginning with the July 15, 2026 City Council meeting, the City will be required to provide an opportunity for real-time remote public participation during City Council meetings. The legislation requires that members of the public be able to provide live public comment through an audio or audio-visual platform. SB 707 also prohibits agencies from requiring members of the public to register or create an account in order to observe or participate remotely in a meeting. Additionally, remote public commenters must be provided with the same amount of speaking time as members of the public providing comments in person.
To comply with the remote participation requirements, the City of Menifee will implement public participation through Microsoft Teams. Members of the public will be able to participate remotely by telephone or internet connection and provide live public comment during designated public comment periods. Remote participation will be audio-only, and video participation by members of the public will not be enabled. To facilitate orderly meeting operations, members of the public attending in person will be provided the opportunity to address the City Council first, followed by individuals participating remotely. Consistent with state law, remote participants will be afforded the same amount of speaking time as in-person speakers. SB 707 clarifies that the presiding officer's authority to maintain order during a meeting extends to participants attending remotely.
Consistent with existing Brown Act provisions governing disruptive conduct, the presiding officer may remove or limit the participation of a remote attendee whose conduct disrupts the meeting.
Instructions for accessing and participating in City Council meetings remotely will be included on each meeting agenda and posted on the City’s agenda webpage to ensure the public has clear and accessible participation information in advance of each meeting.
Disruption of Telephonic or Internet Service Policy
As part of the amendments established under SB 707, cities are required to adopt a policy establishing procedures for maintaining public access and participation when technological disruptions occur during a meeting. The policy must be adopted by the City Council at an open meeting no later than July 1, 2026, and include an oral report prior to adoption.
Under the legislation, a disruption that prevents members of the public from accessing or participating in the meeting remotely requires the City Council to recess the meeting for a minimum of one hour or until remote access is restored. Upon such disruption, the Presiding Officer or City Clerk must immediately notify the public, and the Presiding Officer would be required to recess the meeting or convene a closed session as permitted by law. Staff would promptly initiate efforts to restore remote access services.
If remote service is not restored after the minimum one-hour recess, the City Council could either continue the recess, adjourn the meeting, or would be required to make a determination by roll call vote that good faith effort to restore service had been made in accordance with the adopted City of Menifee Staff Report
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policy, and that the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access.
Agenda Accessibility and Translations
Eligible local agencies are also required to provide translated versions of City Council meeting agendas when a language other than English is spoken jointly by 20 percent or more of the applicable population served by the agency. This requirement applies to the meeting agenda itself and does not extend to the full agenda packet or supporting attachments. Based on applicable demographic thresholds, Menifee is required to provide Spanish translations of City Council meeting agendas.
Additionally, the City must provide an on-site public posting location to allow members of the public to post their own translated agendas in languages other English and Spanish. A designated box will be installed outside the City Hall adjacent to the existing posting board location. The legislation clearly states that any translations submitted by members of the public are not prepared, reviewed, or endorsed by the City. The City does not assume responsibility or liability for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any non-official translations provided by third parties. Official City-published agendas remain the authoritative version for all noticing and public meeting purposes.
Reasonable Outreach Efforts
SB 707 requires qualifying legislative bodies to make reasonable efforts to invite groups that do not traditionally participate in public meetings to attend those meetings. The legislation provides flexibility for local agencies to determine the outreach methods that are most appropriate for their communities.
For the City of Menifee, many of these outreach efforts are already incorporated into existing public engagement practices. The City utilizes a variety of communication tools to increase awareness of City Council meetings and opportunities for public participation, including social media platforms, Menifee Matters, Menifee TV, the City's website, and electronic distribution of meeting agendas to individuals who have requested notification.
The proposed resolution formalizes the City’s current outreach practices and provides flexibility to incorporate additional public engagement methods as technology, communication platforms, and community needs continue to evolve. Consistent with state law, failure to reach a particular group does not create a basis for legal action against the City.
STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVE
Regular City Business
FISCAL IMPACT
SB 707 is a legislative unfunded mandate of cities which must absorb the costs associated with ongoing compliance. Adoption of the proposed policy and resolution does not have a direct fiscal impact on the City.
City of Menifee Staff Report
Ralph M. Brown Act Amendments Overview
June 17, 2026
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To support the required hybrid City Council meeting operations, there will be an increase in operational costs, including an additional part-time employee scheduled to support live broadcasting and public participation efforts. The City has made technology and operational upgrades in the amount of $7,000 which include enhancements to audio monitoring capabilities and meeting management functionality. Ongoing investment in meeting technology, equipment maintenance, software updates, and future equipment replacement will be necessary to support uninterrupted public access and participation. Maintaining reliable technology infrastructure will help reduce the risk of service disruptions that could require meeting recesses or delays under SB 707.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Policy - Disruption of Telephone or Internet Service
2. Resolution – Outreach Efforts
3. Ralph M. Brown Act