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4 City Practices Already in Alignment with SB 707
This attachment describes SB 707 requirements that are satisfied by current City practices and by recent updates and do not need additional implementation.
Alternative Teleconferencing (effective January 1, 2026) Before 2020, the Brown Act only permitted members of Brown Act bodies to attend meetings remotely if the member published their remote address on the agenda, allowed public access at their remote location, and posted the agenda at their remote location, among other requirements. This open location form of remote attendance is referred to as “standard teleconferencing.” SB 707 does not change this form of teleconferencing.
During the Covid-19 state of emergency, the Brown Act permitted members to attend meetings remotely without opening their location to the public if they complied with another set of requirements. After the state of emergency ended, the legislature continued to experiment with narrow reasons (i.e. “just cause” or “emergency circumstances”) that a member could attend remotely without publishing the remote meeting location or making the location open to the public. This is referred to as “alternative teleconferencing” and was established by AB 2449 (2021-2022). Other rules apply to alternative teleconferencing, such as the requirement to participate by video throughout the meeting.
SB 707 extends and revises the alternative teleconferencing provisions of AB 2449. Some notable changes include:
Extends expiration date to 2030,
Removes the procedural differences between attending remotely due to “just cause” or “emergency circumstances,”
Expands “just cause” to include certain military service obligations, Modifies the annual limit on attendance by alternative teleconference based on the body’s frequency of regular meetings, and
Requires meeting minutes to identify specific provision a member relies on to participate remotely.
The City Council adopted the updated provisions as part of its most recent Procedures & Protocols Handbook update.
Brown Act Distribution (effective January 1, 2026)
SB 707 converts a previously optional authority into a mandate. Cities are now required to provide the Brown Act to elected and appointed members of legislative bodies, including City Council and BCCs. The City Clerk’s Office provides the Brown Act as part of the reference materials given to all new 1 February 9, 2026 City Council Action Minutes:
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=86544&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 1 0
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4 commissioners during their orientation and will incorporate this mandate into new Councilmember onboarding practices.
Remote Member Participation as an Accommodation (effective January 1, 2026) A member of any legislative body may now participate remotely as a reasonable accommodation for a disability. The member’s participation counts as in-person for quorum purposes. Members using this form of teleconference must:
Disclose the presence of anyone over the age of 18 with them and their relationship to that person, and
Use audio and visual technology, unless a physical condition related to their disability results in a need to participate only through audio.
City Clerk staff will coordinate on an as-needed basis with members using this form of teleconference.
Remote Public Attendance
SB 707 requires certain legislative bodies to offer a remote public participation option. In Palo Alto, the City Council is the only legislative body required to provide a remote option. Existing City Clerk practice surpasses this requirement. Palo Alto currently uses Zoom to host meetings and take comments on agendized items at all City Council, Council Committees, and BCC meetings. The City also livestreams meetings to YouTube and broadcasts to local cable television as additional viewing options for the public.
Website Requirements (effective July 1, 2026)
SB 707 requires a city’s homepage to include a prominent link to a public meeting webpage. The webpage must include or link to:
a general explanation of the public meeting process,
an explanation of how to provide in-person or remote verbal or written public comment, a calendar of all public meetings with the times, dates, and locations, and a link to posted agendas.
A link to the City’s Meeting Agendas and Minutes page3 is prominently displayed on Palo Alto’s homepage and complies with these requirements. In addition to the Agendas page, the City Clerk’s Office also maintains a Resources for Meeting Attendance 4 webpage. This page includes information about City Council meeting structure, public comment procedures, FAQs, City Council and BCC meeting frequencies, and resources for remote attendance.
The City Clerk’s Office’s online newsletter meets new requirements regarding electronic meeting agenda distribution. A city must now provide a system to electronically accept and fulfill requests for meeting agendas and display a sign-up link on the City Council’s homepage. The City Clerk’s Office sends a weekly 3 City of Palo Alto Meeting Agendas and Minutes: https://PaloAlto.gov/CouncilAgendas 4 City of Palo Alto Resources for Public Meetings: https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/City-Clerk/City-Meeting- Groups/Resources-for-Meeting-Attendance
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4 newsletter with information about City Council and Council Committee meetings and events, including direct links to all published agendas and notifications of amended or supplemental materials. The newsletter is currently distributed to over 1,500 individuals, and the public may sign up online via a prominent link on the Meeting Agendas and Minutes page.