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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 28-26RESOLUTION 28-26 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS ADOPTING A HYBRID PUBLIC MEETING DISRUPTION POLICY WHEREAS, the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code § 54950 et seq.) was adopted in 1959 and regulates meetings of local legislative bodies; and WHEREAS, Senate Bill 707 (2025) updated the Brown Act with the aim of improving transparency and engagement in public meetings; and WHEREAS, SB 707, among other changes, requires local legislative bodies to adopt a policy regarding disruption of telephonic or internet service occurring during specified meetings by July 1, 2026; and WHEREAS, SB 707 further requires local legislative bodies to make reasonable efforts, as determined by the legislative body, to invite groups that do not traditionally participate in public meetings to attend those meetings; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds it necessary to adopt an administrative policy for City Council meetings for the purposes of implementing these updates to the Brown Act and in furtherance of its commitment to transparency, open government, and promoting public access and participation; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to include in this policy provisions that will allow for the remote participation of members of Town committees at Town committee meetings as authorized under the Brown Act and in compliance with all applicable teleconferencing and open meeting laws therein. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills does hereby approve a Hybrid Public Meeting Disruption Policy, attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A, on behalf of the Town of Los Altos Hills. The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills at a regular meeting held on the 16th day of April 2026 by the following vote: NOES: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE ABSENT: NONE ATTEST: Arika Birdsong -Miller, City Clerk BY: At -1v Alli, RESOLUTION 28-26 Rajiv Bhateja, Mayor TOWN OF LOS 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 Phone: (650) 941-7222 www.losaltoshills.ca.gov ALTOS HILLS Hybrid Public Meeting Disruption Policy SECTION 1. PURPOSE Exhibit A WS ALTOS HII,I.S r 'r CALIFORNIA Approved by City Council April 16, 2026 The purpose of this policy is to ensure transparency and public access and participation in government meetings, in compliance with the Brown Act and Senate Bill ("SB") 707 (2025). This policy establishes procedures for the Town of Los Altos Hills' ("Town") to ensure continuity of public access and participation during City Council meetings in the event of technological disruptions. Further, given the Town's current practice of giving members of the City Council and the Planning Commission the ability to attend their respective meetings remotely subject to all requirements of the Brown Act, this policy memorializes that practice and also adds the ability for Town committees to utilize the Brown Act's teleconference provisions to participate in their respective meetings remotely. The policy affirms the City Council's commitment to maximizing public access and outlines the actions the Town will take if a disruption prevents the public from viewing the meeting or providing public comment remotely. SECTION 2. INTERNET AND TELEPHONIC DISRUPTIONS AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS 2.1 Applicability A. This policy applies to all public meetings of the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills. Consistent with California Government Code Section 54953.4(b)(1)(A)(i)(II), this policy does not apply to meetings held to do any of the following: 1. Attend a judicial or administrative proceeding to which the Town is a party. 2. Inspect real or personal property provided that the topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to the real or personal property. 3. Meet with elected or appointed officials of the United States or the State of California, solely to discuss a legislative or regulatory issue affecting the Town and over which the federal or state officials have jurisdiction. 4. Meet in or nearby a facility owned by the Town, provided the topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to the facility. Meet in an emergency situation pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.5. -1- Los Altos Hills Procurement Policy 2.2 Procedure for Disruptions Due to Technological Disruptions A. If a disruption of telephonic or internet service that prevents members of the public from attending or observing the meeting via the two-way telephonic service or two-way audiovisual platform occurs during the meeting, the presiding officer shall, as soon as possible, announce a recess of the open session of the meeting. B. The City Council shall recess for at least one hour and reasonable efforts shall be made in good faith to restore the service during the recess. C. No actions shall be taken on any item of business of the City Council during a recess due called due to a disruption. However, the City Council may meet in closed session during the recess period. D. The City Council shall not reconvene the open session of the meeting until at least one hour following the disruption, or until telephonic or internet service is restored, whichever is earlier. The presiding officer shall clearly announce the end of the recess. E. Upon reconvening the open session, if telephonic or internet service has not been restored, the City Council shall adopt a finding by roll call vote that good faith efforts to restore the telephonic or internet service have been made in accordance with this policy and that the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access. The City Council may proceed with the meeting only after such finding is adopted by roll call vote. F. The meeting minutes shall document the disruption (start time of disruption, duration, resolution steps taken, whether the City Council met in closed session during the recess). Members of the City Council and Planning Commission may attend their respective meetings remotely in their member capacities by utilizing the teleconferencing provisions under the Brown Act and complying with all requirements thereunder. Members of Town committees may attend their respective meetings remotely in their member capacities up to two meetings in a single calendar year. The committee member participating remotely must comply with, and the committee meeting involving remote attendance must be noticed and conducted in accordance with, either the traditional teleconferencing rules or the "just cause" teleconferencing provisions of the Brown Act (codified at Gov. Code sections 54953 — 54953.8.7). Applicable rules may include, but are not limited to, agenda notice and posting, quorum and location, and participation platform/technology including the teleconferencing member being on camera and microphone throughout the entire meeting. Committee members shall be individually responsible for understanding and complying with all Brown Act teleconferencing rules in order to attend and conduct meetings remotely. Notwithstanding the allowances provided by this policy, all legislative body members attending -2- Los Altos Hills Hybrid Public Meeting Disruption Policy their respective meetings remotely are required to comply with all provisions of the Brown Act and any other applicable laws and regulations. SECTION 4. MEETING OUTREACH A. This policy affirms the Town's commitment to making reasonable efforts to encourage participation by communities that do not traditionally engage in City Council meetings. This policy supports broad and equitable public participation and ensures compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code § 54950 et seq.) requirements pertaining to multi - language access and outreach. B. The Town retains discretion over the type and scope of outreach activities it conducts and is not required to contact any specific group. Outreach methods may vary based on available resources and priorities, and may include both low -resource and higher -resource approaches, such as digital communications, printed materials, in-person outreach, or coordination with community organizations. This policy shall go into effect May 1, 2026. -3- Los Altos Hills Hybrid Public Meeting Disruption Policy