On behalf of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors, I write in support of Assembly Bill 1944 (AB 1944) by Assemblymember Lee, a proposal that would allow a legislative body to waive Brown Act requirements for publishing private addresses on meeting agendas while still providing remote participation options for members of the legislative body and the public.
Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order in 2020 waived several requirements for teleconferenced meetings of local agencies, and AB 361 (Rivas, 2021) allowed the continuance of this option during a declared state of emergency, until 2024. During this time, Brown Act bodies have recognized increased participation of its board members and the public by being able to conduct its meetings with the aid of teleconferencing systems.
Members of Brown Act bodies who choose to teleconference are required to disclose the alternate address that they are teleconferencing from, whether their private address, or another address, they must post notice at the alternate location, make the alternate location open to the public, and ensure that the alternate location is accessible [reasonable accommodation] to any member of the public who may want to attend the alternate location. These requirements can make compliance difficult for members who, for a variety of reasons, may
need to teleconference from an alternate location. Reasons for teleconferencing may include ill health, inability to travel, pregnancy or childcare issues, or recovery from surgery. Again, the burden of abiding by the current Brown Act requirements for those who need to teleconference for any of the reasons stated above can be burdensome.
Additionally, in communities where travel to and from the legislative body meeting location can be dangerous or difficult during different times of the year, allowing both board members and the public to participate remotely ensures greater participation in local governance.
AB 1944 would allow members of the public a call-in or video option to address their elected officials, thereby increasing the possibility of participation. Moreover, legislative bodies would be allowed to teleconference into a meeting without revealing a private address, posting notice at the alternate (private) location, or making reasonable accommodation to members of the public who may seek out the alternate location. The bill would require a live stream, including audio and video of the meeting, if a member chooses to teleconference.
For these reasons, Tulare County lends our support to AB 1944 (Lee).
Sincerely,
Eddie Valero, Chairman
Tulare County Board of Supervisors
cc: Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, Tulare State Delegation, Paul Yoder, Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer & Lange