FAQs

The County is committed to creating a more inclusive and accessible government. In response to a new California state law, SB 707, several updates to the Brown Act will take effect on July 1, 2026. The County is proactively taking steps now to broaden community engagement in its public meetings so that all residents have the opportunity to participate meaningfully.

The Brown Act is California’s open meetings law. It requires local government bodies—such as Boards of Supervisors, city councils, commissions, committees, and other legislative bodies—to conduct their business openly, publicly, and with advance notice. The purpose of the Brown Act is to ensure that the public has the right to attend, observe, and participate in local government decision-making.

Along with the general public, we are trying to connect with people and communities who have not always been part of civic processes. This includes outreach to media outlets serving diverse and non-English-speaking communities, as well as good-government, civil rights, civic engagement, neighborhood, and other community-based organizations.

The County will provide opportunities for feedback from the public through this site, including a survey. Additionally, we will dedicate engagement opportunities specific to communities who speak the County’s threshold languages, media whose audiences are non-English speaking, and other groups not traditionally engaged in civic processes.

Your feedback will help the County identify better ways to share information and make Board meetings more accessible. These methods will be submitted as recommendations to the Board for their consideration and direction in Spring 2026. Any recommendations adopted will be effective no later than July 1, 2026.