Open meetings: meeting and teleconference requirements.

Senator Durazo's legislation modernizes California's open meetings law by establishing comprehensive requirements for remote public participation and multilingual access in local government meetings. The bill mandates that city councils and county boards of supervisors provide two-way telephonic or audiovisual platforms for public attendance and comment, while requiring interpretation services and translated materials for communities with limited English proficiency.

The legislation creates new standards for teleconferencing across various local bodies, including health authorities, neighborhood councils, and student organizations. These entities must ensure remote participants can both observe meetings and provide real-time public comment. The bill requires agencies to maintain dedicated web pages with meeting information in multiple languages and actively encourage participation from underrepresented communities.

For regular meetings, agendas must be provided in English and any language spoken by 20% or more of the county population that speaks English less than "very well." Local bodies must post meeting notices 72 hours in advance and include instructions for requesting interpretation services. During emergencies, agencies may conduct fully remote meetings after determining in-person gatherings pose health and safety risks.

The bill authorizes members to participate remotely for specified reasons like caregiving duties or medical needs, though most bodies must maintain a physical quorum. Subsidiary advisory bodies may meet virtually if they designate a primary physical location for public attendance. These provisions remain in effect until January 1, 2030, allowing the Legislature to evaluate their effectiveness.

While imposing new requirements on local agencies, the bill includes no state reimbursement mandate, as the Legislature finds these changes necessary to modernize public access and participation in an increasingly digital environment. The provisions apply to all cities, including charter cities, as the Legislature deems adequate meeting access a matter of statewide concern.