PREPARED BY: MATT RODRIGUEZ DATE OF MEETING: 09/15/2025
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION TO RATIFY AN OPPOSITION LETTER (UNLESS AMENDED) FOR SENATE BILL 707 – OPEN MEETINGS: MEETING AND TELECONFERENCE REQUIREMENTS TRANSMITTED ON AUGUST 28, 2025 FROM SAN PABLO MAYOR CRUZ TO THE STATE SENATOR DURAZO (D- 26TH DISTRICT) WITH COPTIES TO THE CITY’S STATE LEGISLATORS (STATE SENATOR JESSE ARREQUIN (D-7th; AND STATE ASSEMBLYMEMBER BUFFY WICKS (D-14TH)
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve by Minute Order
Body
Compliance statements
Under Major Policy Area: Enhance Community Resilience, Policy No #205: Promote civic engagement and awareness in all City programs/services by creating a communications plan to standardize practices for sharing information, publicizing city programs and making San Pablo a place to visit is an adopted policy item contained in the adopted FY 2025-27 City Council Priority Workplan, effective April 7, 2025.
CEQA Compliance Statement
This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA, as it constitutes a budget or financing mechanism pursuant to 14 Cal. Code of Regulations section 15378(b).
BACKGROUND
The City Manager’s Office (CMO), and the City’s lobbyist, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA), regularly communicate directly with the following City’s California Legislature Representatives about proposed State legislation, and to share positions with the bill's authors or other stakeholders:
State of CA Legislature Representatives:
State Senator Jesse Arrequin (D-7th District)
State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-14th District)
Proposed Senate Bill 707 – (Durazo; D-26th District)
During August 2025, the League of California Cities (Cal-Cities) called on municipalities to oppose the proposed SB 707 legislation unless amended by its author, State Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D–26th District). In response, the City of San Pablo reviewed the bill and found its interests aligned with Cal-Cities’ opposition stance, contingent on amendments.
While the City overall supports civic engagement and transparency in public meetings, the proposed legislation would impose substantial, unfunded compliance costs on the City’s General Fund Budget during FY 2025-26. Additionally, the State-mandated implementation date of January 1, 2025 presents further fiscal and operational challenges for local governments state-wide.
However, SB 707 does contain positive elements that recognize the need to modernize the Ralph M. Brown Act. However, its prescriptive requirements would create significant fiscal and operational challenges for the city, including:
- Providing two-way telephonic or audiovisual access for all meetings, halting proceedings during any service disruption.
- Translating agendas into all “applicable languages” spoken by 20% or more of residents with limited English proficiency.
- Designating a public space for community-submitted translations, even if inaccurate or misleading.
- Creating and maintaining multi-language webpages for agendas, instructions, and meeting procedures.
- Expanding outreach efforts and electronic systems for agenda access.
If enacted in its current form, SB 707 would require the City of San Pablo to upgrade or fully replace its audio-visual infrastructure and re-configure our current Council Chambers — at an estimated cost between $60,000 - $80,000, respectively. Additionally, this bill would necessitate a compressed timeline of less than six months to conduct public procurement, acquire equipment, secure professional installation services, and conduct proper employee training by the proposed implementation date of January 1, 2026. Due to Proposition 42 (2014), these costs are also not reimbursable, placing the full financial burden entirely on the City’s General Fund Operating Budget, with non-budgeted resources.
Moreover, this bill also creates governance inequities across California: (1) Local cities of similar size are treated differently based solely on County population; (2) Compounding this disparity, the State of CA itself is exempt from the very mandates on enhancing open meetings and teleconference requirements it seeks to impose on local governments—an unjust double-standard.
In closing, the City of San Pablo maintains a strong commitment to transparency and meaningful public engagement. However, the City respectfully requested necessary amendments to the SB 707 legislation that remove the most onerous and financially burdensome provisions, promote equitable treatment of local municipalities across California, and allow adequate time and support for effective implementation and compliance, with a minimum extension to January 1, 2027 for responsible implementation.
City Manager Recommendation
The City Manager drafted an appropriate opposition letter to SB 707 legislation (unless amended) for execution and transmittal on August 28, 2025 via TPA from San Pablo Mayor Cruz to transmit to the State Senator Durazo (D-26th District), with copies to the City’s State Legislators to include: State Senator Jesse Arrequin (D-7th District) and State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-14th District).
This evening, the City Manager requests formal ratification approval by majority vote (via minute order) of the attached letter from San Pablo Mayor Cruz (on behalf of the San Pablo City Council).
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact associated with this agenda item.
ATTACHMENTS:
Exh A - Letter of Opposition (unless amended) transmitted on August 28, 2025 from San Pablo Mayor Arturo Cruz re: Proposed SB 707 Legislation (Durazo; D- 26th District)
Exh B - Copy of Proposed SB 707 (Durazo; D-26th District) last amended on 09/05/2025