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CC RESOLUTION 5589RESOLUTION NO. 5589 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING TWO POLICIES: A POLICY RELATING TO DISRUPTION OF TELEPHONIC OR INTERNET SERVICE DURING PUBLIC MEETINGS REQUIRED BY SB 707 AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY REGARDING THE CONDUCT OF CITY MEETINGS The City Council of the City of El Segundo does resolve as follows: SECTION 1: The City Council finds and declares that: A. In 2025, Senate Bill 707 (Durazo) was signed into law; the bill amends the Ralph M. Brown Act (Gov. Code §§ 54950 et seq.) in several ways to increase public participation in City meetings; B. One of the changes required by SB 707 is that "[a]II open and public meetings shall include an opportunity for members of the public to attend via a two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform"; C. Because of the new public participation requirements, SB 707 requires local agencies to adopt a policy that addresses how the agency will respond when there are disruptions in the telephonic or internet service that prevent members of the public from attending the meeting remotely (Gov. Code section 54953.4); D. To remain compliant with state law and ensure transparency, accessibility, and the continuity of government during technology disruptions, the El Segundo City Council desires to adopt the attached Disruption Policy; and E. In addition to the Disruption Policy, because of SB 707's new requirements of two-way telephonic service or a two-way audiovisual platform for City Council meetings, the City Council also desires to adopt the attached Administrative Policy about the conduct of meetings. ;SECTION 2: Adoption and Authorization. The City Council hereby adopts: A. The Disruption Policy, attached as Exhibit "A" and B. The Administrative Policy re: the Conduct of City Meetings, attached as Exhibit "B." The City Manager, or his designee, is hereby authorized to take any actions necessary to implement the policies. SECTION 3: The City Clerk will certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions. SECTION 4: This Resolution will take effect immediately and remain effective until superseded by a subsequent resolution. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 21st day of April, 2026. Chris Pimentel, Mayor ar ity CI k APPROVED AS TO FORM:. 4Ma D. He ,City Attorney 2 CERTIFICATION STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS CITY OF EL SEGUNDO ) I, Susan Truax, City Clerk of the City of El Segundo, California, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five; that the foregoing Resolution No. 5589 was duly passed, approved, and adopted by said City Council, at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 21s' day of April 2026, approved and signed by the Mayor, and attested to by the City Clerk, by the following vote: AYES: Mayor Pimentel, Mayor Pro Tern Baldino, Council Member Boyles, Council Member Giroux, and Council Member Keldorf NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None WITNESS MY HAND THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF SAID CITY this 21stday of April, 2026. 'hus n Tr , City Clerk of the City of El Segundo, California 3 Exhibit A Policy regarding Internet Service or Telephonic Disruptions during Public Meetings Required by Gov. Code § 54953.4 Adopted pursuant to City Council Resolution No. 5589 1. BACKGROUND: Senate Bill 707 (SB 707) (2025) amended the Brown Act to require eligible legislative bodies to adopt, on or before July 1, 2026, a policy that addresses how the agency will respond when there are disruptions in telephonic or internet service that prevents members of the public from attending or observing a meeting remotely. This policy is adopted to comply with that requirement and to ensure continuity of public participation during technical disruptions. 2. PURPOSE: This policy sets forth clear procedures and expectations for addressing technological disruptions in telephonic or internet services that provide two-way remote public access to El Segundo City Council meetings, as required by the Brown Act (Gov. Code § 54953.4). This policy affirms the City's commitment to maintaining transparency, accessibility, and continuity of government during technology disruptions. 3. DEFINITIONS: For purposes of this policy: • "Disruption" is defined as any failure, outage, or other interruption of the City's telephonic or internet service that prevents the public from attending or observing a meeting through the City's remote access services. • "Remote access services" is defined as the two-way telephonic service and/or two- way audiovisual online platform used to provide real —time remote public attendance and observation of meetings. 4. APPLICABILITY: This policy pertains to all open and public meetings of the City Council at which remote public participation is offered or required under the Brown Act. 5. PROCEDURES IN THE EVENT OF A SERVICE DISRUPTION DURING PUBLIC MEETINGS: 5.1. RESPONSE TO SERVICE DISRUPTIONS: If the Presiding Officer or Clerk becomes aware of a disruption to the agency's remote access services that prevents the public from attending or observing the meeting remotely: City of El Segundo Disruption Policy for Public Meetings Page 2 of 3 1. The Presiding Officer or Clerk should promptly announce the disruption to the public 2. The presiding Officer or Clerk may then call a recess of the open session or convene in closed session, in accordance with the Brown Act. 3. Staff should begin efforts to identify and restore the disrupted service. 4. The meeting shall remain in recess for at least one hour or until the service is restored, whichever occurs first. The recess may be extended if restoration efforts are ongoing. 5.2. EFFORTS TO RESTORE SERVICE: The agency shall make good faith efforts to restore remote access services, which may include: • Troubleshooting teleconferencing platforms or software r Resetting or replacing audiovisual equipment • Attempting alternative connection methods • Contacting appropriate support staff or service providers • Using back- up equipment or platforms, if available The Clerk should document the restoration efforts undertaken. 6. RECONVENING THE OPEN SESSION: 6.1. TIMING: The open session may be reconvened after at least one hour of time has passed from the time of disruption or as soon as service has been restored, whichever occurs first. 6.2. IF SERVICE HAS BEEN RESTORED: If the remote access service is restored before or at the time the meeting reconvenes, the meeting will continue as normal. 6.3. IF SERVICE IS NOT/CANNOT BE RESTORED: If service has not been restored after one hour, the City Council may reconvene and: 1. Adjourn the meeting: or 2. Continue the meeting in open session by adopting, by roll call vote, the following, or a similar, finding: "The City Council has made good faith efforts to restore telephonic or internet service in accordance with its adopted policy, and the public interest in continuing the meeting outweighs the public interest in remote public access." Upon adoption of the finding, the legislative body may continue the open session even though remote access services have not been restored.. City of El Segundo Disruption Policy for Public Meetings Page 3 of 3 7. DOCUMENTATION: The Clerk must enter a brief statement into the meeting minutes, which includes the following: • The nature and time of the disruption • Restoration efforts undertaken • The time the meeting was reconvened (if applicable) • Any finding adopted pursuant to section 6.3 This documentation must be retained in accordance with the City's record retention policies. 8. REVIEW AND UPDATES This policy may be amended by the City Council at a noticed public meeting during open session, not on the consent calendar. Exhibit B CITY OF EL S G' O ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL RULES FOR ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS PURPOSE Section: 1.0 The purpose of this policy is to ensure that public meetings are conducted in a manner that provides for City business to be conducted in an efficient and civil manner so members of the public have an equal opportunity to address the presiding body on matters that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council or Commission to the extent time permits. 2. GENERAL 2.1 The Public Comments portion of the City Council or Commission meeting agendas are subject to the Brown Act, at which the public is allowed to speak on any item of interest, whether or not on the agenda so long as it is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council or Commission. 2.2 The Subject Matter Jurisdiction of the City Councilor Commission (aka City Business) includes matters over which the City has been granted authority pursuant to state law, subject to state and federal legal and constitutional limitations. 2.3 The Consent Calendar portion of the City Council and all Commission meeting agendas is the portion of the agenda subject to the Brown Act, at which all items are approved in one motion without discussion unless the item is pulled for discussion by a Council Member or Commissioner. 2.4 Unless the Council specifically takes action to authorize a particular committee, commission or board to conduct remote meetings and/or allow individuals to participate in meetings remotely, such is not permitted. 2.5 Disrupting a Council or Commission Meeting is when a member or members of the public: interrupt(s) Council discussions/deliberations or people who are speaking during public communications; speaks out or makes noise which is loud enough to disrupt a meeting except when it is the person's turn to address the Council or Commission from the podium or remotely during the public communications portion of a meeting; conduct which is prohibited by the City's Discrimination and Harassment Policy found in Section 7.6 of this Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual; speaks about subjects that are not within the City's subject matter ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GUIDELINES FOR ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS Section: 1.4 jurisdiction during public communications; or, fails to abide by this policy including those policies referenced in Section 6.1 below and which causes a meeting to be disrupted. 3. RESPONSIBILITY 3.1 It is the responsibility of the City Clerk and all Commission Secretaries to place the Public Comments portion on the meeting agenda in the appropriate location; and 3.2 It is the role of the City Attorney to provide the Mayor and City Council with guidance on the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council or Commission. 4. POLICY 4.1 The following policies apply to the Public Comments Portion of the agenda. 4.1.1 During the Public Comments portion of the agenda, the public may address the City Council or Commission regarding any items on the agenda or matters that are within the Subject Matter Jurisdiction of the Council or Commission, whether or not the item appears on the agenda. 4.1.2 Speakers are prohibited from addressing the City Council or Commission on matters that are not City Business or within the Subject Matter Jurisdiction of the legislative body and must comply with this policy including those policies referenced in Section 6.1 below regarding Council and Commission meetings. Failure to adhere to the prohibition against public comments on non -City Business may result in the speaker losing their opportunity to provide public comments at that meeting or being removed from the meeting. 4.1.3 The Public Comments portion is generally placed at or near the beginning of the agenda, however, the actual comments may be heard at a different time during the meeting but will be heard before the Council or Commission take action on the item. The time allotted to public comments for agendized items may vary, generally from one to three minutes per person, depending on the combined total number of speaker cards and remote speaker requests received by the City Clerk or Commission Secretary as follows: 10 or fewer speakers, the time is three minutes per speaker; 11-15 speakers, the time limit is two minutes per speaker; and 16 or more speakers the time limit is one minute per speaker. Also, public comments will generally be limited to 30 minutes per meeting so not all members of the public may have the opportunity to speak at a given council meeting. 2of5 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GUIDELINES FOR ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS Section: 1.4 4.1.4 Use of the City's electronic or audio and/or visual equipment by a speaker during the Public Comments Portion of the agenda is prohibited; however, a speaker is not prohibited from presenting printed materials to the City Clerk during the Public Comments portion of the agenda. 4.1.5 Exception: Non -Traditional Teleconferenced Legislative Body Meetings. If the City Council is holding a non-traditionally teleconferenced meeting (e.g., under just cause or proclaimed state/local emergency), the timed general comment period of 30 minutes per meeting per comment period will not apply, only the individual time limits per speaker will be enforced. 4.2 The following policies apply to all portions of the agenda (Public Comments, Consent, Discussion, Public Hearing, etc.) 4.2.1 A public speaker card may be completed and submitted to the City Clerk or Commission Secretary. Individuals may not submit multiple Speaker Cards on behalf of additional speakers and may only submit a Speaker Card for themselves. Public speakers are not required to give their name or address. If a speaker does not wish to give a name, they will be provided with some identifying information by the City Clerk's Office so that they can be called upon during the meeting such as "Speaker X." Speakers will be called based upon the order their speaker cards are received except that the City Clerk's Office shall rotate between speakers physically attending meeting and those attending remotely. 4.2.2 The time allotted per person for public comments may vary depending on the total number of speaker cards or remote speaker requests received as described above in sections 4.1.3 and 4.1.4. Additionally, the Mayor/Chair may modify the time limit per person on any particular item listed on the agenda in accordance with the above regulations. A majority of the Council or Commission may override the Mayor/Chair's decision on this issue. A person may not give their speaking time to another person to increase another speaker's time. 4.2.3 Written comments must be submitted for inclusion in the public record no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting to give the City Clerk/Commission Secretary adequate time to print them out for Council/Commission consideration. Comments submitted in writing are not read aloud at the meeting. Written comments will also be placed with the official meeting record on the City's website but are not a part of the meeting minutes. Written comments received after the adjournment of the meeting will not be considered a record for that meeting. 3 of 5 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GUIDELINES FOR ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS Section: 1.4 4.3 Notwithstanding the above, the following policies apply to Public Hearing items: 4.3.1 Public Hearing item time limits will be the same Public Comments per item and per speaker unless the Council sets different time limits on a particular public hearing item. 4.3.2 Testimony on Public Hearing items must be provided during those hearings so it cannot be provided during the Public Comment Portion of the agenda. 4.4 The public may participate in a meeting from a remote or mobile device; by using a dedicated URL link posted on each agenda or by calling in on the designated phone number. Participation will be available by audio only. Those wishing to make a public comment may join the queue for public comment may do so by dialing *9 after joining the meeting which will "raise their hand" in the remote application, or by using the "raise hand" feature within the application after joining the meeting. Each person wishing to speak will be provided some identifying information by the City Clerk's Office so that they can be called upon during the, meeting. All public participants will be muted until called upon for public comments. 6. DISRUPTING PUBLIC MEETINGS AND BEING REMOVED FROM PUBLIC MEETINGS 6.1 Persons that engage in activities that result in disrupting a Council or Commission meeting shall be issued a warning, if possible, by the public official presiding over the meeting (for example, Mayor or other Council Member if Mayor is absent; Chair, etc.) to cease the conduct or risk being removed from the meeting. 6.2 Persons that continue to engage in activities that result in disrupting a Council or Commission meeting after having been warned to cease such conduct or when a warning is not deemed to be required (examples: a person appears to be a physical threat to others or a person attending remotely who launches into a rant of graphic sexual references or racial epithets), then the person(s) will be asked by the presiding official to leave the meeting on their own accord. If the person or persons refuse to leave on their own accord, the official conducting the meeting shall ask the City Police Officer attending the meeting to escort the person or persons from the meeting room. If no Police Officer is present, the presiding officer shall recess the meeting and contact the Police Department for assistance. 6.3 Should it be necessary to remove all of the public from the meeting, bonafide members of the press shall be allowed to remain and attend the meeting unless such person(s) were engaging in conduct disrupting the meeting. 4 of 5 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GUIDELINES FOR ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS Section: 1.4 6.4 Members of the public who have been required to physically leave the Council or Commission meeting because of their conduct may continue to attend the meeting remotely by following the instructions on the posted agenda for the meeting. 6.5 For persons attending a meeting remotely, if such persons engage in conduct disrupting the meeting, the presiding officer shall order that the employee controlling the virtual portion of the meeting mute the person so they cannot be heard. A person attending remotely shall not be disconnected from the meeting if they can be muted such that they can no longer engage in conduct that disrupts a meeting. 5 of 5