Alex Lee
- Democratic
- Assemblymember
- District 24
Author
Existing law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a legislative body of a local agency, as those terms are defined, be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend and participate. Under existing law, a member of the legislative body who attends a meeting where action is taken in violation of this provision, with the intent to deprive the public of information that the member knows the public is entitled to, is guilty of a crime. This bill would require local agencies to conduct meetings subject to the act consistent with applicable state and federal civil rights laws, as specified. This bill would, until December 31, 2023, require all open and public meetings of a city council or a county board of supervisors that governs a jurisdiction containing least 250,000 people to include an opportunity for members of the public to attend via a two-way telephonic option or a two-way internet-based service option, as specified, and would require a city council or county board of supervisors that has, as of June 15, 2021, provided video streaming, as defined, of at least one of its meetings to continue to provide that video streaming. The bill would require all open and public meetings to include an in-person public comment opportunity, except in specified circumstances during a declared state or local emergency. The bill would require all meetings to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on proposed legislation in person and remotely via a telephonic or an internet-based service option, as provided. By imposing new duties on local governments and expanding the application of a crime with respect to meetings, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for specified reasons. The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities and counties, including charter cities and counties. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 54953 of the Government Code proposed by AB 361 to be operative only if this bill and AB 361 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
Vetoed by Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 25. Noes 8. Page 2583.).
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 58. Noes 7. Page 3074.).
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 3063.)
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 1).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F.
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 54. Noes 9. Page 1814.)
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (May 19).
Read second time and amended.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 28).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.
From printer. May be heard in committee February 28.
Read first time. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| AB339 | HTML |
| 01/28/21 - Introduced | |
| 04/15/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 05/04/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 06/25/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 07/05/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 08/25/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/03/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/13/21 - Enrolled |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/27/21- Assembly Local Government | |
| 05/17/21- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 05/20/21- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 06/28/21- Senate Governance and Finance | |
| 07/28/21- Senate Judiciary | |
| 08/18/21- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 08/28/21- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 09/07/21- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 09/09/21- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 10/14/21- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS |
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