S.B. 707: The
Ralph M.
Brown Act
Overhaul
PRESENTED BY:
RONDA LUCAS,
CHIEF DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY
APRIL 6, 2026 CITY OF MERCED
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
2 BROWN ACT GENERALLY:
❖The key to the Brown Act is its requirement that virtually all local government meetings shall be noticed, open and public .
❖In addition to requiring the People’s business be conducted in open, noticed meetings, the Brown Act also extends to the public the right to participate. “All 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. ”
Cal. Govt Code § 54953(a)
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
3 “LEGISLATIVE BODY” DEFINED
❖Under the Brown Act, “legislative body” means, in relevant part:
“(a) The governing body of a local agency or any
other local body created by state or federal
statute.
(b) A commission, committee, board or other
body of a local agency, whether permanent or
temporary, decision making or advisory, created
by charter, ordinance, resolution, or formal
action of a legislative body. . . . ”
Cal. Govt Code § 54952(a)-(b)
BROWN ACT & S.B. 707
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
4 ❖California’s first major Brown Act modernization in decades. ❖According to the bill’s author: “This act is necessary to modernize the Ralph M.
Brown Act to reflect recent technological changes that can promote greater public access to local officials. ”
❖Shifts the focus of the Brown Act from access to engagement, including hybrid public participation, language translation of agendas, and encouraged expanded community outreach.
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
5 S.B. 707 CATEGORIES:
THREE TRACKS
❖Clarification and expansion of Teleconferencing Rules
➢ On April 20, 2026, we will discuss teleconferencing rules for: 1) traditional application; 2)reasonable accommodation for members of the body; 3) emergency situations; 4) Just Cause accommodations for members; and 5) City subsidiary bodies.
❖Miscellaneous changes for all Brown Act meetings
❖“Eligible Legislative Body” Changes
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
6 ELIGIBLE LEGISLATIVE BODY
❖A subset of “legislative body” as defined in the Brown Act. “ ‘Eligible legislative body’ means any of the
following:
(A) A city council of a city with a population of
30,000 or more. ”
Cal. Govt Code § 54953.4(e)(2)(A)
❖In the City, only the City Council is an “eligible legislative body. ” ➢ The S.B. 707 requirements discussed in the following slides only apply to City Council.
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
7 CITY COUNCIL MEETING REQUIREMENTS
JULY 1, 2026
❖Provide access and community opportunity to meetings via either:
➢ Two-way telephonic service (dial-in service, no internet required); or ➢ Two-way audiovisual platform (online platform with video conference and telephonic service; must activate automatic captioning function). ➢ City Council shall provide public comment opportunity for those participating remotely and ensure the public comment time period for remote participants is the same time period as those appearing in person.
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
8 CITY COUNCIL MEETING REQUIREMENTS
JULY 1, 2026
❖City Council must adopt a policy on disruption of service, including good faith attempts to restore service, for at least one hour and recess the meeting while the good-faith attempts are being made.
❖ Council cannot approve this disruption of service policy on consent calendar.
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
9 CITY COUNCIL MEETING REQUIREMENTS
JULY 1, 2026
❖City Council must reasonably assist translation/interpretation requests from the public into any language.
➢ City shall create and publicize instructions on how to request translation/interpretation assistance.
➢ City can use digital service and is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any interpretation/translation
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
10 CITY COUNCIL MEETING REQUIREMENTS
JULY 1, 2026
❖City must translate and post City Council agenda, including remote attendance information, into any language spoken by more than 20% of the City’s population that also speaks English less than very well. ➢ Agendas translated into language(s) spoken by more than 20% of the City’s citizens who also speak English less than very well, must be posted.
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
11 CITY COUNCIL MEETING REQUIREMENTS
JULY 1, 2026
❖The City must maintain an accessible webpage, dedicated to public meetings, that details the public meeting process and outlines public participation methods.
➢ Webpage shall be translated into all applicable languages, and each translation shall be accessible through a prominent direct link posted on the City’s primary home page or City Council home page.
City of Merced
City Attorney’s Office
April 6, 2026
12 CITY COUNCIL MEETING REQUIREMENTS
JULY 1, 2026
❖The City must create and implement a system for electronically accepting and fulfilling requests for and/or providing copies of City Council meeting agendas and agenda documents through email or an integrated agenda management platform.
QUESTIONS/
COMMENTS
APRIL 6, 2026 CITY OF MERCED
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE