City Council Agenda Report
June 2, 2026
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Theresa Devoy, City Clerk
SUBJECT: BROWN ACT UPDATES PURSUANT TO SENATE BILL 707 - RESOLUTION NO. 26-30, DISRUPTION POLICY / RESOLUTION NO. 26-31, PUBLIC POSTING
BOARD POLICY / MEETING OUTREACH
Background:
The Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code § 54950 et seq.) establishes requirements for open meetings of local legislative bodies. In 2025, Senate Bill (SB) 707 amended the Brown Act related to remote participation, accessibility, and procedures for addressing disruptions to meeting access for City Council meetings.
Among other requirements, SB 707 requires City Council to adopt a technology disruption policy and to determine what constitutes reasonable efforts for outreach to encourage public participation in City Council meetings, particularly among underrepresented and non-English- speaking communities. These policies must be adopted and effective by July 1, 2026. In addition, the new requirements call for cities to provide public posting space for individuals to translate agendas into other languages.
Technology Disruption Policy
Government Code §54953.4 requires City Council to adopt, by July 1, 2026, a technology disruption policy. The policy must address procedures for responding to disruptions of telephonic or internet service during a meeting and the efforts the legislative body will make to restore service.
The statute further requires that if a disruption occurs that prevents members of the public from observing and participating in a City Council meeting through the two-way telephonic or audiovisual platform, City Council must recess the open session for up to one hour and make a good faith effort to restore service. During this time, City Council may meet in closed session, as permitted by law.
City Council June 2, 2026
SB 707 Update – Adoption of Disruption, Public Outreach, and Public Posting Board policies
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The City Council may not reconvene open session until service has been restored or at least one hour has passed, whichever occurs first.
In order to proceed if service has not been restored by the one-hour period, City Council must make findings by roll call vote that good faith efforts were made to restore access and that the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in providing remote access.
Alternatively, the meeting may be adjourned.
The attached proposed policy incorporates these requirements and establishes procedures to ensure transparency and continuity of meetings in the event of a technology disruption during a City Council meeting, while maintaining flexibility to respond based on the specific circumstances.
Reasonable Efforts for Outreach
Government Code §54953.4 (3)(C)(i) requires City Council to determine what constitutes “reasonable efforts” to encourage participation in City Council meetings, particularly among underrepresented communities and non-English-speaking communities.
The City’s approach to outreach could involve inviting media or other organizations that serve non-English-speaking community members. Currently, the City advertises meetings on the City’s website and through social media. Viewers may watch meetings through the City’s website, YouTube, and Cable.
The statute provides City Council with broad discretion in defining these reasonable efforts and clarifies that failure to provide notice to any specific group does not create a basis for legal action.
Staff is seeking input from City Council regarding other outlets to consider advertising meetings.
Additionally, the ability to register to receive notification when agendas are posted is also required and will be available by July 1.
Other key components of SB 707
Translation:
Cities are required to translate and post City Council agendas into specific languages based on census numbers and a 20% formula. Based on the current information, Norwalk will be translating agendas into Spanish. Staff plans to utilize Microsoft Office 365 to translate the agendas and have it proofread internally for accuracy.
While cities are not required to provide translation services, space for translators who attend with participants must be provided and extra time needs to be allotted for translation. The Act does require that Closed Captioning be activated if using a platform that provides for the services.
Staff is reviewing different avenues to provide Closed Captioning.
City Council June 2, 2026
SB 707 Update – Adoption of Disruption, Public Outreach, and Public Posting Board policies
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Public Posting Board:
Cities are required to provide a public posting board for anyone who wishes to post an agenda translated into other languages once the official agenda is posted. The posting board must be available 24/7 for the public to either post a translated agenda or view any postings, and it will not be locked to be publicly accessible pursuant to Government Code 54953.4(c)(3)-(4). SB 707 does include language indicating cities are not responsible for those translations, which will be posted on the board. Therefore, staff is requesting that City Council adopt a posting policy allowing staff to remove any documents that are not agendas or found to incorporate offensive language.
These new mandates will create more complexity for each City Council meeting and additional staff may be needed to manage them.
Fiscal Impact:
No impact to the budget to adopt the policies. However, the posting board is estimated to cost between $150-$300. There are costs associated with the various software ranging from $8,500 to $13,000 annually to assist with translations.
Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
N/A
Recommended Action:
Staff recommend City Council:
a.adopt Resolution No. 26-30, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NORWALK ADOPTING A POLICY ADDRESSING DISRUPTION OF TELEPHONIC
OR INTERNET SERVICE DURING PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH SENATE BILL 707; and
b.adopt Resolution No. 26-31, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK ADOPTING POLICY STATEMENT NO. 26-02, PUBLIC AGENDA POSTING BOARD POLICY AS A RESULT OF SENATE BILL 707, and c.provide direction, if any, on other outlets to consider advertising City Council meeting dates.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 26-30, including Policy No. 26-01
2. Resolution No. 26-31, including Policy No. 26-02