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La Mesa council adopts resolutions to implement new meeting-access law (referred to as SB77)
Summary
City staff framed a July 1 implementation of state changes expanding remote participation and public access; the council unanimously adopted three resolutions requiring hybrid options, a technology disruption policy and outreach measures to meet translation and participation thresholds.
La Mesa staff told the council on June 9 that a recently enacted state law (referred to in the meeting as SB77, and noted in staff slides at times as SB707) requires local legislative bodies to expand remote public attendance, equalize remote comment opportunities and adopt a technology‑disruption policy by July 1. Miss Welman, the city staff member presenting the proposal, told the council, “The purpose of SB77 is to expand public access to local government meetings, modernize participation requirements, strengthen transparency, and reduce barriers to participation.”
The staff presentation described several new requirements: provide remote attendance via Zoom webinar with audio‑only remote participation for security reasons; call remote speakers first and then in‑person speakers; adopt a technology disruption policy that requires recessing for up to one hour while staff attempts to restore remote access or making specific findings by roll call before continuing; and identify reasonable outreach and translation practices tied to American Community Survey thresholds. Miss Welman also summarized the “just cause” teleconference rules and limits on the number of allowable remote absences for council members.
Council members asked clarifying legal questions about whether the council must adjourn or recess if the disruption is on the city’s platform, and whether failures on a remote speaker’s side would force a recess. Legal counsel said the city must take extra steps if the city’s AV platform prevents public participation but that confirming a breakdown is not on the city’s side permits continuation. Council members also discussed guardrails and the historical problems La Mesa experienced with coordinated online disruption during the pandemic.
After public comment urging transparency and operational detail, Council Member Lotheian moved to adopt the three staff‑recommended resolutions to amend public comment rules, adopt a disruption policy, and establish reasonable outreach steps to encourage participation. The motion was seconded and carried with all council members voting yes. The resolutions direct staff to implement the hybrid meeting procedures and related protocols described in the presentation and to return with any operational details needed for implementation.
The council action takes effect as directed in the adopted resolutions; staff will proceed with the Zoom webinar approach and the disruption/translation frameworks described during the presentation.
