City of Long Beach Adopts SB 707 to Expand Equitable Public Meeting Access

Long Beach, CA ~ Long Beach, CA - As of July 1, community members in Long Beach now have the opportunity to participate in public City Council meetings virtually and access expanded language services, thanks to the Brown Act Modernization Act, also known as Senate Bill 707. This new California law aims to increase public meeting accessibility and create more equitable opportunities for civic engagement.

Under the new law, community members can now view, listen and speak during City Council meetings through the video conferencing platform Zoom. In addition to providing closed captioning in the City Council Chambers since 2007, virtual attendees will now also have access to live captions. During the public comment period, speakers will be accommodated both in person and virtually. The agenda and City Clerk's webpage will provide Zoom links for participants to join the meeting. To request to speak on agenda items or non-agenda public comments, Zoom participants can use the "Raise Hand" feature.

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These changes are part of Long Beach's ongoing efforts to make public meetings more inclusive and responsive to community needs. The city hopes that by providing direct access from constituents to city representatives and elected officials, residents, community organizations and stakeholders will take advantage of these expanded options. Whether attending in person or from home, community input is crucial in shaping city policies and programs. The City of Long Beach is committed to strengthening civic engagement and ensuring that every community member has a voice.

More information about meeting procedures, speaker sign-ups and public comment guidelines for both in-person and virtual attendees will be announced before the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 21 following the council's annual summer recess. The city will also release step-by-step instructions for accessing meetings via Zoom and using the closed-captioning feature.

For media inquiries regarding these changes, please contact Monique DeLaGarza at 562-570-6981 or Monique.DeLaGarza@longbeach.gov from the City Clerk's Office.

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