PREPARED BY: MATT RODRIGUEZ DATE OF MEETING: 09/20/21
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION TO RATIFY A LETTER OF SUPPORT TRANSMITTED ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 FROM SAN PABLO MAYOR PABON-ALVARADO TO CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR NANCY SKINNER, 9TH DISTRICT, ON PROPOSED STATE LEGISLATION AB 361 (RIVAS, ROBERT) - OPEN MEETINGS, LOCAL AGENCIES, TELECONFERENCES (AS AMENDED ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2021)
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve by Minute Order
BODY
COMPLIANCE STATEMENTS
Under Major Policy Area: Enhance Community Resilience, Policy Item #205 - Civic Engagement is an adopted policy item contained in the adopted FY 2021-23 City Council Priority Workplan, effective March 15, 2021.
CEQA Compliance Statement
This is not a project as defined by CEQA as a budget or financing mechanism pursuant to 14 Cal. Code of Regulations section 15378(b).
BACKGROUND
The City Manager's Office (CMO), in collaboration with the City's lobbyist, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA), and in direct response to an urgent request by the League of CA Cities (Cal-Cities), drafted a letter of support for recent State of California legislation, AB 361 (Rivas, Robert), last amended on September 3, 2021, which would allow local agencies to meet remotely under modified Brown Act requirements during a state of emergency to continue to provide essential local services (see Attachment).
Public access and participation remain a core value of local democracy, and the City of San Pablo has risen to this challenge and are engaging and listening to the public in a new, digital environment for all public meetings in compliance with previous Governor Executive Order N-29-20 issued on March 17, 2020. Under Executive Order No. N-29-20, the Governor suspended the Ralph M. Brown Act's requirements for teleconferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic provided that notice and accessibility requirements are met, public members are allowed to observe and address the legislative body at the meetin...
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