SB 707: Key Updates to the Brown Act Every California City Needs to Know

SB 707 was signed by Governor Newsom on October 3, 2025. Among several other changes, this bill revises the Brown Act’s teleconferencing requirements and contains new rules regarding accessibility for disabled and non-English speaking communities.

SB 707 maintains existing Brown Act teleconferencing rules, such as posting agendas at all locations, and providing public access to each site. The bill applies certain new rules to “eligible legislative bodies” effective July 1, 2026, defined as city councils in cities with populations of 30,000 or more, city councils in counties of 600,000 or more people, and certain large special districts. The bill reorganizes and expands teleconferencing provisions, incorporates prior “just cause” rules (AB 2449) and “emergency circumstances” rules (AB 361), and extends their applicability through January 1, 2030.

Some Key Changes:

• Eligible legislative bodies must provide a two-way telephonic and a live webcast  or audiovisual platform at all open public meetings. Prior to July 1, 2026, eligible legislative bodies must adopt in open session a policy for restoring service in the event of a broadcast disruption.
• Eligible legislative bodies must translate agendas for each meeting into “applicable languages” (any language spoken jointly by 20 percent or more of an applicable population that also speaks English less than “very well” according to the American Community Survey).
• Eligible legislative bodies must translate the internet webpage dedicated to public meetings into “applicable languages.”
• Eligible legislative bodies must make an agenda posting area publicly available for the public to post translations of the agenda in other languages.
• Legislative bodies are required to orally report a summary of any recommendation of final action on compensation for a local agency executives, department heads or other comparable administrative officer during an open meeting at which the final action is to be taken.
• A member of the legislative body with a disability may participate remotely as a reasonable accommodation, including participation via audio only if their condition prevents participation on camera.
• Local agencies must provide a copy of the Brown Act to all elected and appointed members of legislative bodies.

This client alert provides a brief summary of some provisions of SB 707.  Please contact us for further guidance in understanding and implementing all requirements of the new law. We are here to support you in ensuring your public meetings remain compliant with the updated Brown Act Requirements. 

Aleshire & Wynder LLP provides unparalleled legal representation to local communities throughout California. Our attorneys have been loyally serving public agencies for over 50 years. For further information, please contact Vrunda Shah of Aleshire & Wynder, LLP’s at vshah@awattorneys.com or visit our website at awattorneys.com.