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CC - ACTION ITEM: (1) Adoption of a Resolution Adopting Amended City Council Policy Statement No. 3006 Regarding Public Meeting Teleconference Attendance Options and Guidelines for Members of Legislative Bodies, and City Council Policy Statement No. 3007 Regarding a Brown Act Meeting Technology Disruption Policy, Related to SB 707, and Rescinding Resolution No. 2025-R002; and (2) Discussion and Direction Regarding Reasonable Public Outreach Efforts Pursuant to SB 707, Including Outreach Measures Designed to Encourage Participation by Groups That Do Not Traditionally Participate in Public Meetings.
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Meeting Date: June 8, 2026
Contact Person/Dept.: Jeremy Bocchino/City Clerk’s Office;
Monica Kilaita/City Attorney’s Office;
Dustin Klemann or Shelly Wolfberg/City Manager’s Office
Phone Number: (310) 253-5660
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (06/04/2026)
Department Approval: Lea Eriksen, Senior Assistant City Manager (06/03/2026); Heather Baker, City Attorney (06/02/2026) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) adopt a Resolution adopting amended City Council Policy Statement No. 3006 regarding Public Meeting Teleconference Attendance Options and Guidelines for Members of Legislative Bodies, and City Council Policy Statement No. 3007 regarding a Brown Act Meeting Technology Disruption Policy, related to Senate Bill 707, and rescinding Resolution No. 2025-R002; and (2) discuss and provide direction regarding reasonable public outreach efforts pursuant to SB 707, including outreach measures designed to encourage participation by groups that do not traditionally participate in public meetings.
BACKGROUND
On October 3, 2025, Governor Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 707 (2025, Durazo) (“SB 707”). SB 707 imposes new procedural, technological, and public access obligations intended to expand participation in local government meetings, including requirements related to public participation, teleconferencing, translation accessibility, disruption procedures, and public outreach procedures, modernizing the Ralph M. Brown Act (“Brown Act”). Certain SB 707 provisions went into effect on January 1, 2026, with the major SB 707 changes becoming effective on July 1, 2026.
On July 1, 2026, “eligible legislative bodies” will be subject to new requirements relating to the conduct of public meetings (i.e., meetings subject to the Brown Act). SB 707 includes, in the definition of “eligible legislative bodies,” a city council in a city with a population of 30,000 or more or in a county with a population of more than 600,000. Therefore, the City Council of the City of Culver City (“City”) is an “eligible legislative body” subject to the following requirements by July 1, 2026:
• Remote public participation: The public must be able to participate in meetings of the City Council through either a two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform. The City is currently in compliance with this requirement.
• Disruption policy: Council must adopt (not on consent calendar) a disruption policy which will govern the City’s actions when the aforementioned two-way telephonic or audiovisual service is disrupted, including procedures for restoring service, responding to disruptions that prevent public participation, and reconvening a meeting. The proposed City Council Policy No. 3007 would satisfy this requirement.
• An agenda request system: A system must be in place for electronically accepting and fulfilling requests for agendas and meeting documents. The City is currently in compliance with this requirement.
• A public meetings' webpage with a direct link on the homepage: The City must have an accessible internet web page that is dedicated to information concerning public meetings and must include a link to the page on the City's homepage. The City is currently in compliance with this requirement.
• Reasonable efforts of outreach for meeting participation: Council must make reasonable efforts to encourage meeting participation from groups that do not traditionally participate, such as outreach to media organizations serving non-English communities or civic engagement organizations. Council has broad discretion to implement such efforts. The City makes existing public outreach efforts to be discussed in this item.
• Translation of meeting agendas if the language meets the City's required threshold: City must translate agendas and instructions on how to participate into any language, other than English, spoken jointly by 20% or more of the total population of the City and 20% of that language who also speak English less than “very well.” The City is currently in compliance with this requirement to the extent it applies.
• A publicly accessible space for the public to post translated agendas: City must provide a physical location, within reasonable proximity to where the City's agendas are posted, accessible to the public for the public to post additional translated agendas. The City is not currently in compliance with this requirement. A solution is being researched, and staff expects to be compliant by the deadline.
• Aiding meeting translation: City must aid any public member who wishes to use a personal interpreter by giving them the space to accommodate the interpreter and extra time. The City is currently in compliance with this requirement.
The following are other significant changes that went into effect on January 1, 2026:
• Expanded existing teleconferencing options: Non-traditional teleconferencing provisions now include teleconferencing during local emergencies in addition to proclaimed states of emergency, as well as an expanded "just cause" teleconferencing option by adding “emergency circumstances”, immunocompromised family members, and military service obligations as additional grounds for the need to participate remotely, as well as extending the sunset date. The “just cause” teleconferencing option requires a quorum of members to be in a physical location open to the public within the legislative body’s jurisdiction. It is important to note that “traditional” and “non-traditional” teleconferencing are not default requirements for all legislative bodies. City Council currently has not elected to authorize “traditional” or “just cause” teleconferencing for all Commissions, Boards and Committees (CBCs) but instead provides such options only to the Council and Planning Commission. Members of all legislative bodies may currently teleconference during states of emergency or as a reasonable accommodation (see below).
• Remote participation as a reasonable accommodation for members with disabilities: A member of a legislative body with a disability may participate remotely as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). This member must use audio and video, unless the disability requires audio only, and disclose the nature of the relationship and presence of any person age 18 and up present in the room at the remote location. This member will still count toward a physical quorum, and neither traditional nor non-traditional teleconferencing requirements apply to that individual’s participation.
• Social media restrictions: The prior sunset date for AB 992’s social media restrictions has been removed, thereby making the existing social media provisions permanent. This law prohibits a majority of the members of a legislative body from using social media platforms to discuss official business among themselves, including making posts, commenting, and using digital icons. This law also prohibits a member of the legislative body from responding directly to any communication on an internet-based social media platform regarding a matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body that is posted or shared by another member.
• Remote teleconference meetings of “eligible subsidiary bodies”: An “eligible subsidiary body” (an advisory body that cannot take certain final action and doesn’t have primary subject matter jurisdiction on elections, budgets, police oversight, privacy, library material restrictions, or taxing or spending proposals) has a new teleconference option that requires at least one physical location for the meeting, members attending remotely to appear on camera, and the legislative body that created the subsidiary body to make required findings before authorizing such teleconference meetings and every six months thereafter. Thus, this new option is subject to Council policy and is not currently authorized or recommended.
DISCUSSION
To comply with SB 707’s requirements before July 1, 2026, operative date, the City must implement several operational and policy changes. The City has already complied with various requirements of SB 707, as noted above, and staff have worked, or will work, to meet other requirements within their purview. Nonetheless, certain actions require formal Council action. Accordingly, staff recommends Council take the recommended actions to comply with SB 707 before the applicable July 1, 2026, deadline. The Proposed Resolution (Attachment 1) will adopt amended Council Policy Statement No. 3006 and Council Policy Statement No. 3007, and will rescind a prior resolution adopting the former Council Policy Statement No. 3006 (Attachments 1 and 2).
Proposed Revisions to Council Policy Statement No. 3006
On January 13, 2025, City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-R002 (Attachment 2) adopting Council Policy Statement No. 3006 (Note: Resolution No. 2025-R002 includes a clerical error in the Council Policy Statement Number) regarding public meeting teleconference attendance options and guidelines for members of legislative bodies. The policy provides comprehensive guidelines and requirements for the following teleconferencing options available to members for attendance at public meetings: (1) “traditional” teleconferencing from public locations (City Council and Planning Commission only); (2) teleconferencing from non-public locations for Just Cause or Emergency Circumstances (City Council and Planning Commission only); (3) teleconferencing from non-public locations during a declared state of emergency (all legislative bodies); and (4) teleconferencing from non-public locations as an ADA accommodation (all legislative bodies).
With the adoption of SB 707, the legislature has made significant changes to three of the existing teleconference options. As mentioned previously, several significant updates were made to “just cause” teleconferencing, including folding in “emergency circumstances” as a category, adding additional categories related to family members and military service, updating annual use limits by members, extending the sunset date through December 31, 2029, and including various public access requirements.
SB 707 also added “local emergency” to the “state of emergency” teleconference option. A “local emergency” is a condition of extreme peril to persons or property proclaimed by the Council, in accordance with Section 8630 of the California Emergency Services Act, as defined in Section 8680.9, or a local health emergency declared pursuant to Section 101080 of the Health and Safety Code, and only refers to local emergencies in the boundaries of the City. This teleconference option includes various public access requirements, with the exception of providing a physical meeting location, live webcasting, and other waived requirements.
Additionally, SB 707 codified an Attorney General opinion that the ADA requires allowing legislative body members to teleconference as a “reasonable accommodation.” A member using this accommodation must participate through both audio and visual technology, unless a physical condition related to their disability results in a need to participate off camera. They must also disclose at the meeting, before any action is taken, whether any other individuals 18 years of age or older are present in the room at the remote location with the Member, and the general nature of the Member’s relationship with any of those individuals. Further, remote participation under this option is treated as in-person attendance at the physical meeting location for all purposes, including any quorum requirement.
The proposed revised policy No. 3006 implements all SB 707-related changes, while keeping intact previously approved policy related to teleconference options for members of the City Council, Planning Commission, and other CBCs. The proposed policy does not include the new and optional teleconference option for eligible subsidiary bodies under Government Code Section 54953.8.6.
Proposed Council Policy Statement No. 3007
SB 707 requires that, by July 1, 2026, the City Council approve at a noticed public meeting in open session, not on the consent calendar, a policy regarding disruption of telephonic or internet service occurring during City Council public meetings subject to such public participation requirements. The policy must address the procedures for recessing and reconvening a meeting in the event of disruption and the efforts that the City Council shall make to attempt to restore the service.
Under SB 707, the policy must state that 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 Council shall recess the open session of the meeting for at least one hour and make a good faith attempt to restore the service. The Council may meet in closed session during this period but shall not reconvene the open session of the meeting until at least one hour following the disruption, or until the two-way telephonic or internet service is restored, whichever is earlier.
SB 707 further requires that upon reconvening the open session, if telephonic or internet service has not been restored, the 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 the disruption policy adopted and that the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access. The proposed Council Policy Statement No. 3007 incorporates these requirements, among others, and it is only applicable to the City Council as required by SB 707.
Public Outreach Efforts
SB 707 further requires that the City make reasonable efforts, as determined by the City Council, to invite groups that do not traditionally participate in public meetings to attend those meetings, which include, but are not limited to: (1) media organizations that provide news coverage in the City, including media organizations that serve non-English-speaking communities, and (2) good government, civil rights, civic engagement, neighborhood, community organizations, or similar organizations in the City, including organizations active in non-English-speaking communities.
Existing Public Outreach Efforts
The City’s existing public outreach efforts include the following:
1. Announcements, newsletters or text alerts regarding upcoming meetings and public hearings, and recaps through the City’s listserv - GovDelivery - for those who opt in to receive this information;
2. Meeting materials in accessible formats, compliant with ADA standards, in the City’s GovDelivery emails and on the City’s website;
3. Meeting notices and agenda highlights are posted on the City’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube; and
4. Livestreaming of meetings with remote participation options.
Outreach to Nontraditional Participants
In recent months, the City has expanded its efforts to reach out to members of the public who don’t typically come to City Hall for City Council meetings. This work includes the following efforts:
1. Conducting engagement sessions in neighborhoods that may have had low civic participation in the past. Topics include staff presentation about various projects, programs, and the City’s budget - in various public buildings throughout the community.
2. Scheduling meetings at varying times to accommodate workers and caregivers.
3. Providing childcare support during City Council meetings, upon request.
Media and Non-English Language Media Engagement
The City currently:
1. Sends agenda notices and press releases to media organizations and contacts; and
2. Includes ethnic and non-English-language media organizations in distribution lists.
Note: Media transmitted electronically in English can typically be translated into another language, depending on the user.
Remote Participation and Technology Access
The City:
1. Offers hybrid meetings with both in-person and remote participation;
2. Posts clear instructions for remote public comment; and
3. Makes recordings and archived videos easily available online after meetings.
Relationship-Building Measures
The City makes relationship-building efforts including:
1. Maintaining stakeholder contact lists for community organizations and advocacy groups; and
2. Training staff and elected officials on inclusive public engagement practices.
Additional Options to Expand the City’s Public Outreach
The City could consider the following options to expand its current public outreach efforts:
1. Contacting various groups to invite them to encourage their members to sign up for online communications from the City directly and to have the head of the organization send City announcements to their members. Groups include any Culver City tenant groups, residential neighborhood bodies, the business community, immigrant-serving organizations, disability advocacy groups, youth organizations, senior service providers, faith-based organizations, labor organizations, parent-teacher associations, and cultural organizations.
2. Partnering with trusted community-based organizations to distribute meeting information.
3. Engaging further with the Culver City Unified School District and other educational institutions.
4. Presenting agenda previews at community events, the weekly Farmers Market, or neighborhood meetings.
5. Holding additional informational workshops before major policy decisions.
Examples of “Good Faith” Efforts the City Could Measure
To demonstrate compliance with SB 707, the City maintains records such as:
1. Email distribution lists,
2. Social media analytics,
3. Multilingual outreach materials,
4. Outreach event participation,
5. Interpretation requests fulfilled,
6. Partnerships with community organizations, and
7. Website traffic metrics.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact from adopting the resolution or discussing and providing direction regarding this matter. Depending on the direction received, there may be a minimal amount of fiscal impact in the form of staff time and resources.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026-06-08_ATT 1_Proposed Resolution Adopting City Council Policy Statement Nos. 3006 and 3007, and Rescinding Resolution No. 2025-R002.
2. 2026-06-08_ATT 2_Resolution No. 2025-R002.
recommended action
MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
1. Adopt a Resolution adopting amended City Council Policy Statement No. 3006 regarding Public Meeting Teleconference Attendance Options and Guidelines for Members of Legislative Bodies, and City Council Policy Statement No. 3007 regarding a Brown Act Meeting Technology Disruption Policy, related to Senate Bill 707, and Rescinding Resolution No. 2025-R002; and
2. Provide direction to the City Manager, as deemed appropriate, regarding reasonable public outreach efforts pursuant to SB 707, including outreach measures designed to encourage participation by groups that do not traditionally participate in public meetings.