To: Board of Supervisors
From: Thomas L. Geiger, County Counsel
Report Title: Policy on Disruption of Telephonic or Internet Service During Meetings of the Board of Supervisors
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE a policy on the disruption of telephonic or internet service during meetings of the Board of Supervisors.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
BACKGROUND:
In 2025, the Governor signed Senate Bill 707, which made several changes related to open meetings held pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Gov. Code §§ 54950 et seq.). Under SB 707, no later than July 1, 2026, a meeting held by the Board of Supervisors must include an opportunity for members of the public to attend the meeting via a two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform, with certain exceptions. The Board of Supervisors has provided this opportunity to the public for several years.
SB 707 also establishes requirements if a disruption of telephonic or internet service occurs during a meeting. Under SB 707:
• the open session of a Board of Supervisors meeting must recess if any disruption of telephonic or internet service occurs;
• the meeting may continue in closed session during the recess;
• the Board of Supervisors must make a good faith effort for at least one hour to restore telephonic or internet service in accordance with an adopted policy regarding disruption of telephonic or internet service; and
• the Board of Supervisors may thereafter reconvene into open session even if telephonic or internet service is not restored as long as the Board makes certain findings by rollcall vote.
SB 707 further provides that the Board of Supervisors must adopt a policy regarding the disruption of telephonic or internet service on or before July 1, 2026. By approving the attached policy, the Board will fulfill the requirement of adopting a policy regarding the disruption of telephonic or internet service on or before July 1, 2026.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Approving the policy ensures compliance with the requirement that the Board adopt a disruption policy on or before July 1, 2026.