Summary
March 5, 2025
The Honorable Senator Jesse Arreguín
1021 O Street, Suite 8230
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Support for SB 239, Open meetings: teleconferencing: subsidiary body
Dear Senator Arreguín,
On behalf of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, I am writing in support of Senate Bill 239 to allow committees, commissions and Boards to hold meetings virtually under updated requirements that enhance flexibility and maintain transparency and public accessibility.
The Brown Act – originally passed more than 70 years ago – requires most legislative body meetings be held in-person. Current law allows some meetings to be teleconferenced only if 1) participants are physically present within the local agency’s jurisdiction; 2) every remote location where is a member is participating is from is posted (including if it is their personal residence); and 3) the public must still have a place to attend in person.
SB 239 updates the existing Brown Act regulations for Boards and Commissions to let them meet remotely 1) with flexibility to log in from a location outside the jurisdiction; and 2) no longer have to post the physical location they are logging in from. However, it is still required that the public have a place to go in person to physically attend, observe, hear and participate in the meeting with at least one staff member present. It also establishes new transparency requirements, such as ensuring real-time public participation options and requiring members of the local advisory and legislative bodies to be visible on camera for the duration of the virtual meeting. Furthermore, SB 239 requires a two-thirds vote from the governing body before teleconferencing can be used and is subject to an annual review to assess its effectiveness.
The County of Marin emphasizes the importance of maintaining flexibility in its legislative processes. The provisions laid out by SB 239 ensure that public accessibility and transparency is maintained while flexibility for its legislative and advisory participants is achieved. For these reasons, the Marin County Board of Supervisors supports SB 239 and urges its passage.
Sincerely,
Mary Sackett, President
Marin County Board of Supervisors
CC: Marin County Board of Supervisors
Senator Mike McGuire
Assemblymember Damon Connolly
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