June 23, 2026
City Attorney's Office
City Clerk’s Office
DATE: June 23, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM: Shannon Moore, Interim City Attorney
Pamela Christian, City Clerk
Subject:
Policy on Disruption of Telephonic or Internet Service
During Public Meetings
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact associated with adoption of the proposed policy. Any costs associated with
responding to service disruptions will be absorbed within existing departmental budgets.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
In 2025, the California Legislature adopted Senate Bill 707, which added Government Code Section 54953.4
and established new requirements applicable to
disruptions of telephonic or internet services used to
facilitate public attendance and participation in public meetings.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution to APPROVE the City of Richmond
Policy for Disruptions of Telephonic or Internet Service During Public Meetings in compliance with California
Government Code Section 54953.4 - City Attorney’s
Office/City Clerk’s Office (Shannon Moore 510-620-
6509/Pamela Christian 510-620-6513).
DISCUSSION:
The Ralph M. Brown Act requires local legislative bodies to conduct meetings openly and publicly. On Oct. 3, 2025, the Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 707 into law, which added Government Code section 54953.4 with the intent to strengthen open meeting laws, promoting governmental transparency, and increasing public AGENDA
REPORT
June 23, 2026
participation during local government meetings. Among the various SB 707 requirements, all “eligible legislative bodies” are required to offer remote public access to open public meetings by either:
1. Two-way telephonic service or
2. Two-way audiovisual platforms.
The City already complies with the SB 707 requirement of conducting City Council open session meetings in a hybrid format via Zoom. Additionally, to ensure public access and participation, SB 707 requires all “eligible legislative bodies” to establish a policy on how to address disruption of telephonic or internet service connection that occurs during public open meetings. The City Council is the City’s only “eligible legislative body” for purposes of this policy.
Government Code Section 54953.4 requires legislative bodies that provide remote access to meetings to adopt a policy, in an open and noticed meeting, addressing disruptions of telephonic or internet service. The statute requires the policy to establish procedures for recessing and reconvening meetings and identify the efforts that will be undertaken to restore service when disruptions occur.
The statute further requires legislative bodies to recess meetings for at least one hour when a disruption prevents the public from attending or observing a meeting through the electronic means provided by the agency and to make specified findings before proceeding if service cannot be restored.
ANALYSIS
The proposed policy establishes procedures for:
Identifying and responding to disruptions of telephonic or internet service; Recessing meetings when a disruption substantially impairs public access; Making good-faith efforts to restore service;
Reconvening meetings in compliance with Government Code Section 54953.4; Providing alternative methods of public access when feasible; and Documenting disruptions and corrective actions for the public record.
Adoption of the policy will ensure the City remains compliant with state law and provides clear guidance to elected officials, commissioners, staff, and members of the public regarding how meetings will be conducted when technology disruptions occur.
The policy will apply to the City Council and may also be utilized by all legislative bodies subject to the Brown Act, including boards, commissions, committees, and other advisory bodies established by the City.
June 23, 2026
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Adoption of the proposed policy is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 because it constitutes an organizational and administrative activity that will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Proposed Policy