Open meetings

Residents retain phone or video access and equal remote-comment time at covered meetings, but local bodies will no longer be required to electronically fulfill agenda-document requests or translate agendas and assist with interpretation under this section.

What the law does ​

• Requires covered city councils, county boards, and certain large special-district boards to offer two-way phone or video attendance when adequate service is available at the meeting location.
• Requires covered bodies to adopt service-disruption policies, recess open meetings for at least one hour after a qualifying outage, and make good-faith restoration efforts before resuming without remote access.
• Requires a roll-call finding that continuing outweighs remote access if service remains unavailable after the recess.
• Requires remote attendees to receive the same public-comment time as in-person attendees, with call-in access and available automatic captions when a video platform is used.
• Removes requirements, scheduled to begin July 1, 2026, for covered bodies to electronically accept and fulfill requests for agendas and documents, translate agendas, and reasonably assist with meeting translation or interpretation.
• Takes effect immediately; the amended meeting rules operate July 1, 2026, through January 1, 2030.

Who it affects ​

• Residents seeking to attend, observe, or comment at meetings of covered local legislative bodies.
• City councils in cities of 30,000 or more, county boards of supervisors in counties or cities and counties of 30,000 or more, city councils located in counties of 600,000 or more, and certain large special-district boards.
• Covered local agencies and their meeting staff.

Context ​

The remote-access requirement does not apply to specified site visits, litigation-related proceedings, meetings with state or federal officials on matters within their jurisdiction, emergency meetings, and certain facility meetings.