City Clerk’s Office
www.santa-ana.org/cityclerk
Item # 21
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
June 2, 2026
TOPIC: Implementation of Brown Act Changes Pursuant to SB 707
AGENDA TITLE
Implementation of Brown Act Changes Pursuant to SB 707 Including Adoption of a Disruption Policy for Telephonic or Internet Service, Proposed Changes to the City Council's Rules and Procedures Resolution and Teleconferencing Policy, and Outreach Efforts to Encourage Participation in City Council Meetings
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Receive and file information on Senate Bill (SB) 707 regarding changes to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Brown Act); and
2. Adopt a resolution amending the Council Rules and Procedures to add provisions addressing disruptions to telephonic or internet service and use of signs at City Council meetings, as well as clarifying public comment, presentation, and translation procedures; and
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-XXX entitled A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AMENDING THE COUNCIL RULES AND
PROCEDURES TO ADD PROVISIONS ADDRESSING DISRUPTIONS TO
TELEPHONIC OR INTERNET SERVICE CONSISTENT WITH SENATE BILL 707 (“SB 707”) AND RULES FOR SIGNS AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, CLARIFY
PUBLIC COMMENT, PRESENTATION, AND TRANSLATION PROCEDURES, AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 2025-004
3. Adopt a resolution approving a revised Teleconferencing Policy; and RESOLUTION NO. 2026-XXX entitled A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA ADOPTING A REVISED TELECONFERENCING POLICY
4. Approve outreach efforts to encourage participation in City Council meetings pursuant to Government Code §54953.4.
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GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
Senate Bill 707 (SB 707) amended the Brown Act (Government Code §§54950-54963) to diversify and increase public engagement during local government meetings of legislative bodies by updating teleconferencing and accessibility requirements. By July 1, 2026, legislative bodies must adopt policies addressing technology disruptions and defining reasonable efforts for outreach to encourage public participation, particularly among underrepresented and non-English-speaking communities.
Below is a summary of key provisions with notable changes under SB 707:
Two-Way Remote Attendance and Disruption Procedures
SB 707 requires “eligible legislative bodies” (starting July 1, 2026 through January 1, 2030) to offer two-way public access for meetings via telephonic or audiovisual platforms (e.g., Zoom). “Eligible legislative bodies” is defined as City Councils with populations of greater than 30,000 or City Councils in counties with populations of greater than 600,000. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana meets these population criteria and is, thereby, subject to the requirements outlined in the statute.
As the City of Santa Ana has provided remote access to City Council meetings via Zoom Webinar since 2020, it already meets the requirements for two-way public access.
Government Code §54953.4 requires the 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. In lieu of creating a separate, stand-alone policy, the required technology disruption policy language has been added to the Resolution for Council Rules and Procedures (Exhibit 2).
The statute requires that if a disruption occurs that prevents members of the public form observing or participating in a City Council meeting through the two-way telephonic or audiovisual platform, the City Council must recess the open session for at least 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. The meeting shall remain in recess for at least one hour or until service is restored, whichever is sooner. Good faith efforts include: (1) troubleshooting platform or teleconferencing software, (2) resetting or replacing audiovisual equipment, (3) attempting alternative connection methods, (4) contacting necessary support staff or service providers, and/or (5) switching to back-up equipment or platforms, if available. Minutes of the meeting shall document the time and nature of any disruption and the efforts made to restore access. If service has not been Implementation of Brown Act Changes Pursuant to SB 707
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restored after one hour of good faith efforts, the Council, by roll call vote, shall extend the recess to continue efforts to restore service, adjourn the meeting, or adopt findings that the City made good faith efforts to restore service and the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote access.
Teleconferencing Provisions and Policy
SB 707 revised the regulations for teleconference participation by members of the legislative body. The City’s previous Teleconferencing Policy, adopted July 18, 2023, expired on January 1, 2026. Since that time, the teleconferencing provisions of the Brown Act have been in effect. The proposed Teleconferencing Policy (Exhibit 4) incorporates the Brown Act’s teleconferencing provisions specifically for the City.
Traditional teleconferencing procedures continue in effect. Changes were made to the procedures for participating via teleconference to accommodate City Councilmembers under the Americans with Disabilities Act, during a proclaimed state of emergency, and expanding the qualifications to teleconference using the “Just Cause” provisions. “Just Cause” remote participation has been expanded to now include childcare responsibilities, illness, family emergencies, travel on official business, or military service obligations. If the legislative body regularly meets twice per month, remote participation by a Councilmember is limited to five meetings annually.
Language Access
From July 1, 2026 to January 1, 2030, certain legislative bodies must translate their meeting agendas into any language spoken by 20% of more of the local population that speaks English less than “very well,” based on the US. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data. The City of Santa Ana meets this 20% threshold for Spanish.
City Council meeting agendas, commencing July 1, 2026, will be translated into Spanish and posted physically outside City Hall and online. Agencies must also provide a freely- accessibly physical location (e.g., bulletin board or similar) near where the agenda is posted to allow the public to post their own translated versions of the agenda. Such posting location will be in place prior to July 1, 2026 and will be limited to agenda translations only. Any other materials will be removed. The City is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any publically-posted translation.
The City exceeds requirements for simultaneous language interpretation by providing Spanish interpretation and live-streaming at each City Council meeting. In addition, the City shall reasonably assist members of the public who wish to translate/interpret in other language(s) during a meeting.
Local agencies must also take reasonable steps to help increase participation from underrepresented groups, including people who do not speak English very well. This Implementation of Brown Act Changes Pursuant to SB 707
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can include working with community organizations, sharing agendas and documents online, and helping people who bring their own interpreters (such as giving them space or allowing extra time for interpretation). Webpages about public meetings must also be translated into languages spoken by at least 20% of the applicable population that speaks English less than “very well,” according to the American Community Survey data. The City of Santa Ana’s website includes translation tools to accommodate approximately 100 different languages. Additionally, specific information on the agenda pages will be posted in both English and Spanish, eliminating the need to use the available translation tools.
Reasonable Efforts for Outreach
Government Code §54953.4 requires the City Council to determine and approve what constitutes “reasonable efforts” to encourage participation in City Council meetings, particularly among underrepresented communities and non-English-speaking communities.
Exhibit 5 details the City’s approach to outreach, which may include inviting participation in City Council meetings from media organizations serving the city, including those serving non-English-speaking communities, as well as civic, neighborhood, community- based, civil rights, and good government organizations.
The statute provides the 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. The proposed approach is intended to provide flexibility while supporting expanded public awareness and participation.
In addition, SB 707 provides specific guidelines and actions for local agencies to encourage residents to participate in public meetings, including:
Provide a system for electronically accepting and fulfilling requests for meeting agendas. This is satisfied through the City’s online Subscribe function. Have an accessible internet webpage dedicated to information concerning public meetings and how members of the public may participate, including a link to the page on the agency’s home page. This is satisfied by a link to “Watch a public meeting” on the City’s home page.
Other Considerations
While reviewing the City Council Rules and Procedures Resolution, additional revisions are suggested to provide clarity and address safety concerns. Section 3 of the resolution includes revisions to the sections of the agenda to match current practice and addresses how presentations may be requested (one per Councilmember per meeting) and limiting acceptance timeframes to one speaker for a maximum of three minutes.
Section 5 of the resolution clarifies time limits for City Council discussions (three Implementation of Brown Act Changes Pursuant to SB 707
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minutes) and addresses the public comment procedures for submitting “Request to Speak” cards and how in-person and remote public speakers will be called. Request to Speak cards shall be submitted no later than the agendized start time of any Closed Session meeting for items to be considered during Closed Session and no later than 5:45 P.M., or upon the call to order, whichever is later, for any regularly scheduled City Council meeting. Remote speakers shall follow the instructions on the agenda and as stated by the presiding officer or City Clerk at the beginning of each meeting. The timeframe for submitting Request to Speak cards for any adjourned, special, or emergency meeting will be noted on the posted agenda for such meeting, and separate public comment periods will be held for meetings of related entities (e.g., Housing Authority).
To comply with equal time provisions within Government Code §54953.4(b)(1)(B)(i), if a maximum time limit is set for public comments, such time period shall be divided equally between in-person and remote speakers, as necessary, with remaining time for either group (if any) re-allocated to the other if any speakers remain who have not yet been heard.
For safety considerations while preserving First Amendment rights of free speech, language has been added to Section 5(j) to prohibit any stick, post, pole, or similar item being affixed to any sign.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. Implementation of any required elements will be absorbed within the City Clerk’s Office’s existing and proposed budgets.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Rules and Procedures Resolution - red-lined
2. Rules and Procedures - for adoption
3. Teleconferencing Policy – red-lined
4. Resolution Adopting Teleconferencing Policy
5. Outreach Efforts
Submitted By: Jennifer L. Hall, City Clerk
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager