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Humboldt County Human Rights Commission asks supervisors to seek Brown Act exception for rural unpaid commissions
Summary
The local commission voted to draft a recommendation asking the Board of Supervisors to request a Brown Act exception allowing unpaid rural commission members to teleconference and have remote participation count toward quorum and voting when travel exceeds 50 miles or one hour.
The Humboldt County Human Rights Commission voted to prepare language for the Board of Supervisors urging a limited exception to the Brown Act that would permit unpaid rural commission members to participate remotely and have those remote appearances count toward quorum and votes when travel distance or time exceeds 50 miles or one hour.
At the Sept. meeting the chair introduced draft language intended to add an exception to the statute’s teleconferencing provisions. Commissioner (Speaker 4) cited an existing provision allowing teleconferencing in narrow circumstances and said the change would help rural residents participate in county commissions. "It wouldn't cost them anything, and it would certainly indicate that you're paying attention to some of the concerns they have," the commissioner said, arguing rural access would increase civic participation.
Commissioner (Speaker 2) moved adoption of the draft language as a formal recommendation to the Board of Supervisors; Peter seconded. The motion was approved by voice vote after commissioners discussed placement of the language (suggesting insertion as an exception under the relevant subsection) and whether remote participation should count toward quorum and votes. Chair said the commission will forward the recommended language to the board and, if endorsed locally, the board could seek the change at the state level.
The commission framed the proposal as a narrow, rural-focused fix to help unpaid commissioners from more remote communities attend and vote without lengthy travel. Commissioners discussed thresholds (50 miles or one hour travel) as a workable standard and debated how the language should be formatted so state officials could easily review it.
Next steps: commissioners said they will finalize the proposed wording and submit it to the Board of Supervisors for consideration and possible endorsement to state lawmakers. No change to the Brown Act has been adopted yet; this action is a local recommendation to the board.
