What are the rules for open meetings of municipal governing bodies?
Municipal governing bodies in California are regulated by the Ralph M. Brown Act, which provides guidelines for open meetings. This act requires that any meetings of a local legislative body, such as a city council, be open and accessible to the public. This means that all meetings must be conducted in public, not behind closed doors. The act requires that a legislative body must provide at least 48 hours of public notice for meetings, which can either be in a newspaper of general circulation or on an official bulletin board in the jurisdiction. Any changes in the time and location of a meeting must also be publicly noticed. At the meeting, the legislative body is required to have a regular order of business that is made available to the public. All decisions regarding the public business of the jurisdiction must be made in a public session, not in executive session. Additionally, all votes must be taken publicly. Finally, the act requires that legislative bodies provide open access to records related to the meeting. This includes any documents or recordings related to any action taken by the legislative body. The Ralph M. Brown Act is designed to ensure that municipal governing bodies in California are open and transparent to the public. In order to remain in compliance, municipal governing bodies must adhere to these rules for open meetings.
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