This week, RCRC, as part of a diverse coalition of local public agencies, expressed opposition to Assembly Bill 339, authored by Assembly Member Alex Lee (D-San Jose). AB 339, which builds upon California’s Brown Act, will add significant unfunded costs on local public agencies related to the conduct of public meetings and access/participation to those meetings.
As introduced, AB 339 mandates that local public agencies provide both call-in and internet-based options for attendance and public comment. This creates immediate technological challenges further compounded by existing resource limitations affecting agencies, particularly those that are small and those that are advisory. The bill also requires local public agencies to employ translators and provide live translation services above and beyond the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act, which applies translation requirements accordingly.
As noted above, AB 339 not only impacts the primary legislative bodies (city councils/boards of supervisors) covered under the Brown Act, but also the myriad of advisory bodies that advise and make recommendations to primary legislative bodies.
For a list of coalition partners and to read the opposition letter in its entirety, see here. For more information, contact Staci Heaton, RCRC Senior Regulatory Affairs Advocate, by email or call (916) 447-4806.