TO: HISTORICAL COMMISSION
FROM: CAMERON HARDING, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
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BROWN ACT TRAINING BY MICHAEL W. WEBB, CITY ATTORNEY
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RECOMMENDATION
Receive and File Brown Act Information
BACKGROUND
According to the City of Redondo Beach Boards & Commissions Handbook, The Brown Act, which was passed in 1953, has become a model public meeting law for the country. The opening section of the law states that:
“In enacting this chapter, the legislature finds and declares that the public commissions, boards and councils and the other public agencies in this State exist to aid in the conduct of the people’s business. It is the intent of the law that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly.”
The Brown Act extends to any advisory commission, board or body of a local agency. Its relevant provisions include the following: with some exceptions, meeting of advisory bodies must be held within the territory of the local agency, meetings must be open to the public, and notice of meetings must be delivered prior to the meeting to the press and public pursuant to the provisions of the government Code.
A “meeting” takes place whenever a quorum of the board/commission is present and official business is conducted. A committee or commission member who attends a meeting where action is taken, knowing that the meeting is in violation of the Brown Act, is guilty of a misdemeanor. “Action taken” means a collective decision made by a majority of the members of the body, a collective commitment or promise to make a positive or negative decision, or an actual vote by the majority of the members on a motion, proposal, resolution, order or ordinance.
ATTACHMENTS
None.