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“Two-way telephonic service” means a telephone service that does not require
internet access and allows participants to dial a telephone number to listen and verbally
participate. “Two-way audiovisual platform” means an online platform that provides
participants with the ability to participate in a meeting via both an interactive video conference
and a two-way telephonic service.

If a two-way audiovisual platform is provided, the agency must publicly post and
provide a call-in option, and activate any automatic captioning function during the meeting if an
automatic captioning function is included with the two-way audiovisual platform.

Members of the public participating remotely must be provided with the same
opportunity to comment as a person attending the meeting in person.

(Government Code § 54953(b)(1).)

b. Disruption of Service. The eligible legislative body must 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 meetings. The policy must address
the procedures for recessing and reconvening a meeting in the event of disruption and the efforts
that the legislative body will make to restore service.

If a disruption of service prevents members of the public from attending or
observing the meeting, the legislative body must make a good faith attempt to restore the service,
and recess for at least one hour unless service is restored sooner. The legislative body may meet
in closed session during this period. Upon reconvening after service has not been restored, the
legislative body must adopt a finding by rollcall vote that good faith efforts to restore the
telephonic or internet service have been made in accordance with the required policy and that the
public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access.

(Government Code § 54953(b)(1).)

5. Specified Local Agencies are Required to Provide Translation and Interpretation
Services, and Take Affirmative Steps to Encourage Public Participation at
Legislative Body Meetings (Begins July 1, 2026).

SB 707 created additional requirements for translation and interpretation services
at eligible legislative body meetings and the translation of agendas, as well as affirmative
obligations to encourage public participation. The provisions are applicable to the same size
agencies required to provide remote public participation.

a. Translation at Meetings. Eligible legislative bodies must reasonably assist
members of the public who wish to translate a legislative body meeting into any language or
wish to receive interpretation provided by another member of the public, so long as the
interpretation does not disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting. The legislative body is not
required to provide interpretation of any public meeting, but may elect to do so.

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