Page 69 - 2026 Lozano Smith Brown Act Handbook

54952.6. Action taken, definition

As used in this chapter, “action taken” means a collective decision made by a majority of the
members of a legislative body, a collective commitment or promise by a majority of the
members of a legislative body to make a positive or a negative decision, or an actual vote by a
majority of the members of a legislative body when sitting as a body or entity, upon a motion,
proposal, resolution, order or ordinance.

54952.7. Copies of chapter to members of legislative body of local agencies

A local agency shall provide a copy of this chapter to any person elected or appointed to serve as
a member of a legislative body of the local agency.

54953. Meetings to be open and public; attendance; teleconferencing;
secret ballots

(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

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