§ 54953. — 54953. (Amended (as amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 534, Sec. 2) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 4.)

California § 54953.

• Jurisdiction: California
• Code GOV: Government Code - GOV
• Div.: 2.
• Title 5.: DIVISION 2. CITIES, COUNTIES, AND OTHER AGENCIES
• Part 1.: PART 1. POWERS AND DUTIES COMMON TO CITIES, COUNTIES, AND OTHER AGENCIES
• Ch. 9.: CHAPTER 9. Meetings

Text

(a)
All meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
(b)
(1)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the legislative body of a local agency may use teleconferencing for the benefit of the public and the legislative body of a local agency in connection with any meeting or proceeding authorized by law. The teleconferenced meeting or proceeding shall comply with all otherwise applicable requirements of this chapter and all otherwise applicable provisions of law relating to a specific type of meeting or proceeding.
(2)
Teleconferencing, as authorized by this section, may be used for all purposes in connection with any meeting within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body. If the legislative body of a local agency elects to use teleconferencing, the legislative body of a local agency shall comply with all of the following:
(A)
All votes taken during a teleconferenced meeting shall be by rollcall.
(B)
The teleconferenced meetings shall be conducted in a manner that protects the statutory and constitutional rights of the parties or the public appearing before the legislative body of a local agency.
(C)
The legislative body shall give notice of the meeting and post agendas as otherwise required by this chapter.
(D)
The legislative body
shall allow members of the public to access the meeting and the agenda shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to address the legislative body directly pursuant to Section 54954.3.
(3)
If the legislative body of a local agency elects to use teleconferencing, it shall post agendas at all teleconference locations. Each teleconference location shall be identified in the notice and agenda of the meeting or proceeding, and each teleconference location shall be accessible to the public. During the teleconference, at least a quorum of the members of the legislative body shall participate from locations within the boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, except as expressly provided in this chapter.
(4)
The teleconferencing requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to remote participation described in subdivision (c).
(c)
(1)
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a member of a legislative body with a disability from participating in any meeting of the legislative body by remote participation as a reasonable accommodation pursuant to any applicable law.
(2)
A member of a legislative body participating in a meeting by remote participation pursuant to this subdivision shall do both of the following:
(A)
The member shall participate through both audio and visual technology, except that any member with a disability, as defined in Section 12102 of Title 42 of the United States Code, may participate only through audio technology if a physical condition related to their disability results in a need to participate off camera.
(B)
The member
shall 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.
(3)
Remote participation under this subdivision shall be treated as in-person attendance at the physical meeting location for all purposes, including any requirement that a quorum of the legislative body participate from any particular location. The provisions of subdivision (b) and Sections 54953.8 to 54953.8.7, inclusive, shall not apply to remote participation under this subdivision.
(d)
(1)
No legislative body shall take action by secret ballot, whether preliminary or final.
(2)
The legislative body of a local agency shall publicly
report any action taken and the vote or abstention on that action of each member present for the action.
(3)
(A)
Prior to taking final action, the legislative body shall orally report a summary of a recommendation for a final action on the salaries, salary schedules, or compensation paid in the form of fringe benefits of either of the following during the open meeting in which the final action is to be taken:
(i)
A local agency executive, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 3511.1.
(ii)
A department head or other similar administrative officer of the local agency.
(B)
This paragraph shall not affect the public’s right under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1) to inspect
or copy records created or received in the process of developing the recommendation.
(e)
For purposes of this section, both of the following definitions apply:
(1)
“Disability” means a physical disability or a mental disability as those terms are defined in Section 12926 and used in Section 12926.1, or a disability as defined in Section 12102 of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(2)
(A)
“Teleconference” means a meeting of a legislative body, the members of which are in different locations, connected by electronic means, through either audio or video, or both.
(B)
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), “teleconference” does not include one or more members watching or listening to a meeting via webcasting or any other similar
electronic medium that does not permit members to interactively speak, discuss, or deliberate on matters.
(3)
“Remote participation” means participation in a meeting by teleconference at a location other than any physical meeting location designated in the notice of the meeting.

Legislative History

Amended (as amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 534, Sec. 2) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 4. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2026.