Title
Approve recommendations from the Legislative Committee to support AB 361 (Rivas) Brown Act: Remote Meetings During Emergencies; and AB 1400 (Kalra) California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act (CalCare).
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve recommendations from the Legislative Committee to support AB 361 (Rivas) Brown Act: Remote Meetings During Emergencies; and AB 1400 (Kalra) California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act (CalCare).
SUMMARY:
At the April 13, 2021 meeting of the Legislative Committee it was recommended that the Board adopt support positions on AB 361 (Rivas) Brown Act: Remote Meetings During Emergencies; and AB 1400 (Kalra) California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act (CalCare). The County's Legislative Program is supportive of the concepts of these two bills - 1) support for policy changes to continue participation and access to virtual public meeting governed by the Brown Act; and 2) support for policy changes providing health care for all.
The Legislative Committee also recommended a support position on AB 703 (Rubio); however, the author has decided to hold the bill as a two-year bill, and therefore the bill will not be moving in the legislative process this year. If the bill is revisited in the fall, staff will report back to the Committee for direction.
DISCUSSION:
AB 361 (Rivas) Brown Act: Remote Meetings During Emergencies
In 1953, the Legislature enacted the Ralph M. Brown Act, known simply as the "Brown Act" which guaranteed the public's right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies. To meet this objective, the Brown Act drew up requirements regarding public notices of meetings, the posting of agendas, and physical access to those meetings. Since then, many modifications have been enacted. However, the Act has not been changed to allow local agencies to utilize technology to its fullest extent and the pandemic has raised issues for consideration both for t...
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