Page 89 - 2026 Lozano Smith Brown Act Handbook

54954. Rules for conduct of business; time and place of meetings

(a) Each legislative body of a local agency, except for advisory committees or standing
committees, shall provide, by ordinance, resolution, bylaws, or by whatever other rule is required
for the conduct of business by that body, the time and place for holding regular meetings.
Meetings of advisory committees or standing committees, for which an agenda is posted at least
72 hours in advance of the meeting pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 54954.2, shall be
considered for purposes of this chapter as regular meetings of the legislative body.

(b) Regular and special meetings of the legislative body shall be held within the boundaries of
the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, except to do any of the following:

(1) Comply with state or federal law or court order or attend a judicial or administrative
proceeding to which the local agency is a party.

(2) Inspect real or personal property which cannot be conveniently brought within the
boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction provided that the
topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to the real or personal property.

(3) Participate in meetings or discussions of multi-agency significance that are outside the
boundaries of a local agency’s jurisdiction. However, any meeting or discussion held pursuant to
this subdivision shall take place within the jurisdiction of one of the participating local agencies
and be noticed by all participating agencies as provided for in this chapter.

(4) Meet in the closest meeting facility if the local agency has no meeting facility within the
boundaries of the territory over which the local agency exercises jurisdiction, or at the principal
office of the local agency if that office is located outside the territory over which the agency
exercises jurisdiction.

(5) Meet outside their immediate jurisdiction with elected or appointed officials of the United
States or the State of California when a local meeting would be impractical, solely to discuss a
legislative or regulatory issue affecting the local agency and over which the federal or state
officials have jurisdiction.

(6) Meet outside their immediate jurisdiction if the meeting takes place in or nearby a facility
owned by the agency, provided that the topic of the meeting is limited to items directly related to
the facility.

(7) Visit the office of the local agency’s legal counsel for a closed session on pending litigation
held pursuant to Section 54956.9, when to do so would reduce legal fees or costs.

(c) Meetings of the governing board of a school district shall be held within the district except
under the circumstances enumerated in subdivision (b), or to do any of the following:

(1) Attend a conference on non-adversarial collective bargaining techniques.

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