California Public Meetings Act: Overview and Key Details

  • By: Tara Astbury
  • February 4, 2025
citizen engagement with local government

Each state has its own rules about how to conduct public meetings, and it’s critical for city administrators to understand them in order to remain legally compliant. In California, public meetings must abide by the Brown Act. This article explores the Brown Act’s key provisions and how government meeting software helps public agencies comply. 

What is the California Public Meetings Act?

The California Public Meetings Act, also known as the Ralph M. Brown Act, is a law that ensures transparency and public access to the meetings of local legislative bodies in the state. Enacted in 1953 and named after its sponsor, the act establishes specific rules and procedures that local government agencies must follow when conducting meetings.

Key Provisions of the California Public Meetings Act

The California Public Meetings Act codifies the rights of the public to attend and participate in the meetings of public agencies through the following provisions.

1. Open Meetings

The Brown Act defines a meeting as “any congregation of a majority of the members of a legislative body at the same time and place to hear, discuss, or deliberate upon any item that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.” That means all meetings of local legislative bodies must be open and public.  

2. Agenda Postings

To maintain accordance with the Brown Act, agencies must post agendas at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. The post must also include a brief description of each item that will be discussed during the meeting. The governing body is not allowed to discuss or take action on unlisted topics.

3. Public Participation

The California Public Meetings Act includes several stipulations to encourage public involvement in local governance. Agencies are barred from requiring any sort of registration or disclosure of personal information to attend the meeting. 

The Brown Act further declares that all meetings take place in the legislative body’s established jurisdiction. Members of the public must be given the right to comment or directly address any item on the meeting agenda.

4. Notice Requirements

Proper notice of all regular meetings, including the time, date, location, and agenda, must be provided to the public at least 72 hours in advance of a meeting. Notice must be posted in a location that is freely accessible to the public and on the agency’s official website, if one exists.

5. Closed Sessions

The Brown Act allows for closed sessions under specific circumstances. These include discussing personnel matters, litigation, real estate negotiations, and security issues. However, certain requirements must be met, including stating the specific statutory exception for the closed session.

6. Record Keeping

Any person attending an open meeting in California has the right to record video and audio of the event as long as the recording is not disruptive. If the legislative body creates recordings of the meetings, those recordings are treated as public records in the same way that meeting minutes are. The public is not entitled to copies of recordings of closed sessions. 

Anyone can file a public records request in California without a stated purpose. The California Public Records Act further stipulates that each person has a right to obtain copies of the minutes and any other documents from open meetings. 

eScribe Powers Effective City Councils

The California Public Meetings Act enshrines the rights of the public to influence local governance. Keeping public meetings organized can be a complicated task for even the most professional officials. Meeting management software can be crucial in creating a structure that maintains regulatory compliance and helps legislative bodies make the right decisions. 

eScribe helps governments and school boards get the most out of their meetings with a comprehensive suite of tools for creating agendas, conducting votes, reporting, and more. For public access, it allows citizens to participate in meetings in person or virtually, with closed caption live streaming, the ability to submit comments, and a request to speak function.

Learn more about how our platform supports open governance in this Greensboro case study.

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