CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
STAFF REPORT
2175 Cherry Avenue • Signal
Hill, California 90755-3799
12/13/2022
AGENDA ITEM
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
JOE HOEFGEN
INTERIM CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:
CONTINUANCE OF THE PROCLAMATION OF THE EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 AND FINDINGS RELATED TO AB 361
EXEMPTING THE CITY FROM BROWN ACT TELECONFERENCING RULES Summary:
The City Council will consider the continuance of the proclamation of the existence of a local emergency in response to the current public health crisis related to COVID-19. The City Council will also consider whether to continue to hold virtual meetings of all City legislative bodies, as allowed by Assembly Bill (AB) 361.
Recommendations:
1. Receive and file report regarding the continuance of the existence of a local emergency in response to COVID-19.
2. Direct all City legislative bodies to continue to hold meetings virtually and determine that such meetings are exempt from the Brown Act teleconferencing rules based on the following findings set forth in AB 361:
a. There is a Statewide state of emergency in effect in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and b. State or local officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing.
3. Direct staff, no later than 30 days after the City Council approves the recommended action, to report back on the state-proclaimed state of emergency so that City Council may reconsider the circumstances of the emergency and, if appropriate, make findings to continue to hold virtual meetings of City legislative bodies pursuant to AB 361.
Fiscal Impact:
The City continues to incur necessary operational and administrative costs to address the impacts of COVID-19.
As part of the Coronavirus Relief Fund, the City received $144,610 to address costs incurred related CITY OF SIGNAL HILL Page 1 of 5 Printed on 12/9/2022
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As part of the Coronavirus Relief Fund, the City received $144,610 to address costs incurred related to the public health and public safety impacts of COVID-19. As part of the American Rescue Plan, the City received $2.7 million to provide additional relief to address costs related to COVID-19. Staff will continue to pursue additional Federal and State reimbursement for all City costs incurred.
Strategic Plan Objectives:
Goal No. 1: Ensure public safety is a high priority.
Goal No. 6: Promote a transparent and open government.
Background:
Continuance of Local COVID-19 Emergency
On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a novel coronavirus (COVID19) a public health emergency of international concern. On January 31, 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services declared this global outbreak a public health emergency for the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on February 25, 2020 that community spread of COVID-19 was likely to occur in the United States. On March 11, 2020 the WHO made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.
On March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom issued a Proclamation of a State of Emergency (Attachment A). On March 4, 2020, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared a Local and Public Health Emergency. On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared a National State of Emergency.
On March 19, 2020, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) issued an Order of the Health Officer to control the spread of COVID-19 within the County of Los Angeles. On March 19, 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-33-20 to control the spread of COVID19 within the State of California.
Governor Newsom’s Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued on March 4, 2020, included the following provision:
8. The 60-day time period in Government Code section 8630, within which local government authorities must renew a local emergency, is hereby waived for the duration of this statewide emergency. Any local emergency proclaimed will remain in effect until each local governing authority terminates its respective local emergency.
On March 19, 2020, the City Manager acting as the Director of Emergency Services signed a Proclamation of a Local Emergency due to COVID-19. On March 24, 2020, the City Council adopted a resolution ratifying the proclamation of the existence of a local emergency (Attachment B). On June 9, 2020, July 14, 2020, September 8, 2020, October 27, 2020, December 8, 2020, January 26, 2021, March 23, 2021, May 11, 2021, June 22, 2021, August 10, 2021, September 28, 2021, October 26, 2021, November 9, 2021, December 14, 2021, January 11, 2022, February 8, 2022, March 8, 2022, March 22, 2022, April 12, 2022, May 10, 2022, May 24, 2022, June 14, 2022, July 12, 2022, August 9, 2022, August 23, 2022, September 13, 2022, October 11, 2022, November 8, 2022, and November 16, 2022, the City Council received and filed a report on the continuance of the proclamation. Currently, California continues to operate under a state of emergency, as does Los CITY OF SIGNAL HILL Page 2 of 5 Printed on 12/9/2022
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Angeles County. At this time, the local emergency related to COVID-19 continues to exist.
Assembly Bill 361: Teleconferenced Brown Act Meetings
On March 17, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-29-20 suspending certain provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act in order to allow for local legislative bodies to conduct their meetings completely telephonically or by other electronic means.
The suspension of certain provisions of the Brown Act was further extended by the Governor on June 11, 2021 by the issuance of Executive Order N-08-21 which continued to allow for complete virtual City Council (and other legislative body) meetings until September 30, 2021.
Effective October 1, 2021, AB 361 allows local government to continue to conduct remote virtual meetings so long as there is a state-proclaimed state of emergency and the legislative body makes mandatory findings, discussed in greater detail below.
Analysis:
On June 15, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom took action to move California “Beyond the Blueprint” by lifting certain pandemic executive orders while leaving his emergency declaration in place.
AB 361
As noted above, Executive Order N-29-20, which allowed local governments to meet remotely without complying with traditional Brown Act teleconferencing rules, expired on September 30, 2021.
AB 361 extends the Executive Order’s exceptions to the Brown Act’s teleconference requirements.
Under AB 361, the City may continue using teleconferencing for the duration of the state-proclaimed state of emergency if the City Council finds that (1) state or local officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing or (2) if meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health and safety of attendees. The City Council is able to make those findings.
The Governor’s proclamation of a state of emergency is still active, and local officials continue to recommend social distancing measures. The LACDPH Health Officer Order, revised September 22, 2022, begins as follows (Attachment C):
SUMMARY OF THE ORDER: The County of Los Angeles is now experiencing both a Low Community Level, as measured by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 Community Level Framework, and a weekly COVID-19 transmission rate that is lower than 100 cases per 100,000 residents. This Health Officer Order is updated to closely align with the State Public Health Officer’s recent guidance regarding the requirement to wear a face mask in the following higher-risk settings: correctional facilities; homeless shelters, emergency shelters and cooling centers. This Order also revises the masking requirement on public transportation and indoor transportation hubs from required to strongly recommended given the current lower rate of COVID-19 transmission within Los Angeles County. Public Health will continue following the County’s COVID-19 Response Plan to recommend or require future mitigation measures should the County’s designation on the CDC’s Community Level framework increase to Medium or High and the County’s COVID-19 transmission level substantially increases in the future. Local health jurisdictions may implement additional CITY OF SIGNAL HILL Page 3 of 5 Printed on 12/9/2022
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protective measures based upon local conditions.
This Order’s primary intent continues to be to reduce the transmission risk of COVID-19 in the County for those in higher transmission risk settings and protect those persons at elevated risk for severe health outcomes due to COVID-19 infection. It is very likely that there will be additional and unpredictable waves of infections and hospitalizations that will require monitoring and may require implementing different strategies to meet changing mitigation needs. The County will need to be ready to meet those challenges should they arise.
In addition, the LACDPH “Reducing Risk Guidance (English)” as of July 8, 2022, lists the following under the section titled “How to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19” (Attachment D):
Keep your distance. Use two arms lengths as your guide (about 6 feet) for social distancing with people you don’t live with.
To continue utilizing the AB 361 exemptions, the Council must, no later than 30 days after voting to continue holding virtual meetings and every 30 days thereafter, reconsider the circumstances of the state’s COVID-19 state of emergency and determine that either (a) the state of emergency continues to directly impact the ability of members to meet safely in person, or (b) state or local officials continue to impose or recommend social distancing measures. The City Council’s proclamation of the existence of a local emergency will continue until further notice.
AB 2449
On September 13, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill (AB 2449). The law makes several new amendments to the Brown Act, which goes into effect on January 1, 2023. AB 2449 provides alternative teleconference procedures to allow members of a legislative body to participate remotely in certain circumstances. AB 2449 provides additional opportunities for Board members’ remote participation subject to certain new two-way audiovisual technology requirements and limitations on the use of those opportunities. AB 2449 only provides additional remote attendance opportunities; agencies may continue to hold Zoom meetings at which the public participates remotely pursuant to AB 361 and the Brown Act generally.
AB 2449 allows the legislative body of a local agency to use teleconferencing via alternative procedures, other than traditional Brown Act teleconferencing rules or the modified AB 361 rules.
Under AB 2449 remote participation procedures, at least a quorum of the members of the legislative body must participate in-person from a singular physical location identified on the agenda, which will be open to the public and within the boundaries of the local agency. The legislative body must also provide either a two-way audiovisual platform or two-way telephonic service and a live webcasting of the meeting to allow the public to remotely hear and visually observe the meeting, and remotely address the legislative body. The agenda must identify and include an opportunity for all persons to attend via a call-in option, internet-based service option, and at the in-person location of the meeting.
In addition, AB 2449 also contains provisions that allow a member of the legislative body to participate remotely only if one of the following conditions are met:
1. The member notifies the legislative body at the earliest opportunity possible, including at the start of a regular meeting, of their need to participate remotely for “just cause” (as defined by AB 2449), including a general description of the circumstances relating to their need to appear CITY OF SIGNAL HILL Page 4 of 5 Printed on 12/9/2022 powered by Legistar™
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AB 2449), including a general description of the circumstances relating to their need to appear remotely at the given meeting; or
2. The member requests the legislative body to allow them to participate in the meeting remotely due to “emergency circumstances” and the legislative body takes action to approve the request. The legislative body must request a general description (generally not exceeding 20 words) of the circumstances relating to their need to appear remotely at the given meeting.
Remote participation must be requested and approved by the legislative body before activated. A member of the legislative body may utilize AB 2449 to attend remotely for no more than three consecutive months or two regular meetings in the calendar year, whichever comes first.
AB 2449 defines “just cause” and “emergency circumstances” for the purposes of teleconferencing. “Just cause” is limited to one or more of the following: (i) a childcare or caregiving need of a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner that requires them to participate remotely; (ii) a contagious illness that prevents a member from attending in person; (iii) a need related to a physical or mental disability as defined by statute; or (iv) travel while on official business of the legislative body or another state or local agency. “Emergency circumstances” means a physical or family medical emergency that prevents a member from attending in person.
The City Attorney provided a memo to City Council to more fully describe AB 2449 and the compliance actions required by Council and the City effective January 1, 2023. Additionally, the City Attorney will provide a presentation related to the requirements of AB 2449 at the December 13, 2022 Council meeting.
Staff will provide another COVID-19 update to the City Council no later than January 10, 2023.
Attachments
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