Item 21 - Implementation of Brown Act Changes Pursuant to SB 707

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Implementation of Brown Act Changes Pursuant to SB 707 June 2, 2026 Page 4 can include working with community organizations, sharing agendas and documents online, and helping people who bring their own interpreters (such as giving them space or allowing extra time for interpretation). Webpages about public meetings must also be translated into languages spoken by at least 20% of the applicable population that speaks English less than "very well," according to the American Community Survey data. The City of Santa Ana's website includes translation tools to accommodate approximately 100 different languages. Additionally, specific information on the agenda pages will be posted in both English and Spanish, eliminating the need to use the available translation tools. Reasonable Efforts for Outreach Government Code §54953.4 requires the City Council to determine and approve what constitutes "reasonable efforts" to encourage participation in City Council meetings, particularly among underrepresented communities and non-English-speaking communities. Exhibit 5 details the City's approach to outreach, which may include inviting participation in City Council meetings from media organizations serving the city, including those serving non-English-speaking communities, as well as civic, neighborhood, community- based, civil rights, and good government organizations. The statute provides the City Council with broad discretion in defining these reasonable efforts and clarifies that failure to provide notice to any specific group does not create a basis for legal action. The proposed approach is intended to provide flexibility while supporting expanded public awareness and participation. In addition, SB 707 provides specific guidelines and actions for local agencies to encourage residents to participate in public meetings, including: • Provide a system for electronically accepting and fulfilling requests for meeting agendas. This is satisfied through the City's online Subscribe function. • Have an accessible internet webpage dedicated to information concerning public meetings and how members of the public may participate, including a link to the page on the agency's home page. This is satisfied by a link to "Watch a public meeting" on the City's home page. Other Considerations While reviewing the City Council Rules and Procedures Resolution, additional revisions are suggested to provide clarity and address safety concerns. Section 3 of the resolution includes revisions to the sections of the agenda to match current practice and addresses how presentations may be requested (one per Councilmember per meeting) and limiting acceptance timeframes to one speaker for a maximum of three minutes. Section 5 of the resolution clarifies time limits for City Council discussions (three