City clerk outlines SB 707 changes to Brown Act; staff to propose virtual‑participation and disruption policies
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Summary
City clerk Abigail Palosgarden summarized SB 707, recently signed into law, which expands virtual participation and two‑way participation requirements for entities in larger counties. Staff will return with draft policies on virtual disruptions, decorum, translation and outreach ahead of the law's effective date.
City Clerk Abigail Palosgarden told the council that Governor Newsom signed SB 707 on Oct. 3, 2025, and that the law makes significant changes to the Brown Act with an effective date set for July 1, 2026 for many provisions.
Palosgarden said because Kingsburg is in Fresno County, which exceeds the population threshold set in the law, the city is classified as an eligible legislative body for expanded requirements. "We must provide 2 way virtual participation during public meetings," she said, and staff must adopt a policy to handle virtual disruptions, attempt to restore service for at least one hour if a livestream or virtual platform fails, and adopt decorum expectations for remote participants.
The clerk said staff will return with several items before July 1, including (1) implementation of a two‑way phone or video platform for public participation; (2) a policy for handling service disruptions; (3) a decorum policy for virtual participants; (4) updates to the city's public meetings webpage; and (5) outreach to underprivileged communities and translation plans. Palosgarden noted the current Census language‑access threshold and said staff will research translation obligations and how they apply locally.
Council members asked whether the city could require video visibility for remote speakers to reduce abuse; staff said they would explore options legally permissible under the law and draft a decorum policy. The clerk and staff will report back with recommended policies and implementation steps.