I. PURPOSE
To establish procedures for responding to a technology disruption affecting remote public access to City of Santa Clarita public meetings, as required by the Brown Act (Gov. Code § 54953.4). The policy ensures transparency, public participation, and continuity of government during technology disruptions.
II. GENERAL POLICY
Senate Bill 707 (2025) amended the Brown Act to require eligible legislative bodies to adopt, on or before July 1, 2026, a policy addressing how the agency will respond to disruptions in telephonic or internet service that prevent members of the public from attending or observing a meeting remotely. This policy is adopted to comply with that requirement and to ensure continuity of public participation during technical disruptions.
III. DEFINITIONS
A. “Disruption” means any failure, outage, or other interruption that prevents members of the public from attending or observing the meeting via these remote access services.
B. “Remote access services” means the two-way telephonic service and/or two-way audiovisual platform used in real-time remote public attendance and observation of meetings.
IV. PROCEDURES
A. Response to Service Disruption
1. If the Presiding Officer or City Clerk becomes aware of a disruption to the agency’s remote access services that prevents members of the public from attending or observing the meeting remotely:
a. The Presiding Officer or City Clerk shall immediately announce the disruption to the public.
City of Santa Clarita
POLICY/PROCEDURE
Number I-17 SUBJECT: TECHNOLOGY INTERRUPTION POLICY FOR
PUBLIC MEETINGS
ORIGINAL ISSUE EFFECTIVE: 07/01/2026 CATEGORY: LEGISLATIVE RELATIONS RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
STANDARD MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE
b. The Presiding Officer may then call for a recess of the open session or convene the legislative body in closed session, consistent with the Brown Act. c. Staff shall begin efforts to diagnose and restore the disrupted service. d. The meeting shall remain in recess for at least one hour or until service is restored, whichever is sooner. The recess period may be extended if restoration efforts are ongoing.
B. Efforts to Restore Service
1. The agency shall make good faith efforts to restore remote access services, which may include:
a. Troubleshooting platform or teleconferencing software. b. Resetting or replacing audiovisual equipment.
c. Attempting alternative connection methods.
d. Contacting necessary support staff or service providers. e. Switching to back-up equipment or platforms, if available.
2. The City Clerk shall document the restoration efforts undertaken.
C. Reconvening the Open Session
1. Timing
a. The open session may be reconvened after at least one hour has elapsed from the time of disruption or as soon as service is restored, whichever occurs earlier.
2. If Service is Restored
a. If the remote access service is restored before or at the time the meeting reconvenes, the meeting shall continue as normal.
3. If Service is Not Restored
a. If service has not been restored after one hour, the City Council may reconvene and:
a. Adjourn the meeting; or
b. Continue the meeting in open session by adopting, by roll call vote, the following, or a substantially similar, finding:
i. “The City of Santa Clarita has made good faith efforts to restore telephonic or internet service in accordance with its adopted policy, and the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access.”
ii. Upon adoption of the finding, the legislative body may continue the open session despite the fact that remote access services have not been restored.
D. Recordkeeping
1. The City Clerk shall enter a brief statement into the meeting minutes, including the following:
a. The nature and time of the disruption.
b. The restoration efforts undertaken.
c. The time the meeting was reconvened (if applicable). d. Any finding adopted pursuant to Section IV-C (3).
E. Review and Updates
1. This policy may be amended by the City Council at a noticed public meeting in open session, not on the consent calendar.
F. Public Participation Conduct
1. Public participation conduct using the remote option will be held to the standards of those participating in person. If a participant disrupts the meeting in a manner that prohibits the orderly continuation of the meeting, one verbal warning will be given to the participant. If the disruption continues after a single warning, the participant will be prohibited from speaking for the remainder of the meeting.
V. EXCEPTIONS
There are no exceptions to this Policy without the express authorization of the City Manager.
VI. AUTHORITY
By the authority of the City Council.
Laurene Weste
Mayor