Title GOV, California Gov. Code

A local agency shall provide a copy of this chapter to any person elected or appointed to serve as a member of a legislative body of the local agency. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 327, Sec. 3. (SB 707) Effective January 1, 2026.)

(a) All meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (b) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of la…

The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to prohibit the members of the legislative body of a local agency from giving testimony in private before a grand jury, either as individuals or as a body. (Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 950.)

All meetings of a legislative body of a local agency that are open and public shall meet the protections and prohibitions contained in Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132), and the federal rules and regulations adopted in implementatio…

A member of the public shall not be required, as a condition to attendance at a meeting of a legislative body of a local agency, to register his or her name, to provide other information, to complete a questionnaire, or otherwise to fulfill any condition precedent to his or her a…

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that public access is necessary for an informed populace. The Legislature encourages local agencies to adopt public access requirements that exceed the requirements of this chapter. (b) (1) In addition to any other applicable requirements of…

(a) Any person attending an open and public meeting of a legislative body of a local agency shall have the right to record the proceedings in the absence of a reasonable finding by the legislative body of the local agency that the recording cannot continue without noise, illumina…

No legislative body of a local agency shall prohibit or otherwise restrict the broadcast of its open and public meetings in the absence of a reasonable finding that the broadcast cannot be accomplished without noise, illumination, or obstruction of view that would constitute a pe…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, legislative bodies of local agencies may impose requirements upon themselves which allow greater access to their meetings than prescribed by the minimal standards set forth in this chapter. In addition thereto, an elected legislative bo…

(a) The legislative body of a local agency may use teleconferencing as authorized by subdivision (b) of Section 54953 without complying with the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 54953 in any of the circumstances described in Sections 54953.8.1 to 54953.…

(a) A health authority may conduct a teleconference meeting pursuant to Section 54953.8, provided that it complies with the requirements of that section. (b) Nothing in this section or Section 54953.8 shall be construed as discouraging health authority members from regularly meet…

(a) A legislative body of a local agency may conduct a teleconference meeting pursuant to Section 54953.8 during a proclaimed state of emergency or local emergency, provided that it complies with the requirements of that section and the teleconferencing is used in either of the f…

(a) A legislative body of a local agency may conduct a teleconference meeting pursuant to Section 54953.8 if, during the teleconference meeting, at least a quorum of the members of the legislative body participates in person from a singular physical location clearly identified on…

(a) An eligible neighborhood council may conduct a teleconference meeting pursuant to Section 54953.8, provided that it complies with the requirements of that section and all of the following have occurred: (1) (A) The city council for a city described in paragraph (2) of subdivi…

(a) An eligible community college student organization may conduct a teleconference meeting pursuant to Section 54953.8, provided that it complies with the requirements of that section and all of the following additional requirements: (1) An eligible community college student org…

(a) An eligible subsidiary body may conduct a teleconference meeting pursuant to Section 54953.8, provided that it complies with the requirements of that section and all of the following additional requirements: (1) The eligible subsidiary body shall designate one physical meetin…

(a) An eligible multijurisdictional body may conduct a teleconference meeting pursuant to Section 54953.8, provided that it complies with the requirements of that section and all of the following additional requirements: (1) The eligible multijurisdictional body has adopted a res…

(a) Each legislative body of a local agency, except for advisory committees or standing committees, shall provide, by ordinance, resolution, bylaws, or by whatever other rule is required for the conduct of business by that body, the time and place for holding regular meetings. Me…

Any person may request that a copy of the agenda, or a copy of all the documents constituting the agenda packet, of any meeting of a legislative body be mailed to that person. If a local agency has an internet website, the legislative body or its designee shall email a copy of, o…

(a) (1) At least 72 hours before a regular meeting, the legislative body of the local agency, or its designee, shall post an agenda that meets all of the following requirements: (A) The agenda shall contain a brief general description of each item of business to be transacted or …

(a) (1) Every agenda for regular meetings shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body on any item of interest to the public, before or during the legislative body’s consideration of the item, that is within the subject matter ju…

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that Section 12 of Chapter 641 of the Statutes of 1986, authorizing reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for costs mandated by the state pursuant to that act, shall be interpreted strictly. The intent of the Legislatur…

For purposes of describing closed session items pursuant to Section 54954.2, the agenda may describe closed sessions as provided below. No legislative body or elected official shall be in violation of Section 54954.2 or 54956 if the closed session items were described in substant…

(a) (1) Before adopting any new or increased general tax or any new or increased assessment, the legislative body of a local agency shall conduct at least one public meeting at which local officials shall allow public testimony regarding the proposed new or increased general tax …

The legislative body of a local agency may adjourn any regular, adjourned regular, special or adjourned special meeting to a time and place specified in the order of adjournment. Less than a quorum may so adjourn from time to time. If all members are absent from any regular or ad…

Any hearing being held, or noticed or ordered to be held, by a legislative body of a local agency at any meeting may by order or notice of continuance be continued or recontinued to any subsequent meeting of the legislative body in the same manner and to the same extent set forth…

(a) (1) A special meeting may be called at any time by the presiding officer of the legislative body of a local agency, or by a majority of the members of the legislative body, by delivering written notice to each member of the legislative body and to each local newspaper of gene…

(a) For purposes of this section, “emergency situation” means both of the following: (1) An emergency, which shall be defined as a work stoppage, crippling activity, or other activity that severely impairs public health, safety, or both, as determined by a majority of the members…

No fees may be charged by the legislative body of a local agency for carrying out any provision of this chapter, except as specifically authorized by this chapter. (Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1284.)

Whenever a legislative body of a local agency determines that it is necessary to discuss and determine whether an applicant for a license or license renewal, who has a criminal record, is sufficiently rehabilitated to obtain the license, the legislative body may hold a closed ses…

(a) Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the legislative body of a local agency that has received a confidential final draft audit report from the Bureau of State Audits from holding closed sessions to discuss its response to that report. (b) After the …

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a legislative body of a local agency may hold a closed session with its negotiator prior to the purchase, sale, exchange, or lease of real property by or for the local agency to grant authority to its negotiator regarding the p…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a legislative body of a local agency that invests pension funds may hold a closed session to consider the purchase or sale of particular, specific pension fund investments. All investment transaction decisions made during the c…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a legislative body of a local agency which provides services pursuant to Section 14087.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code may hold a closed session to hear a charge or complaint from a member enrolled in its health plan if …

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the records of a health plan that is licensed pursuant to the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975 (Chapter 2.2 (commencing with Section 1340) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code) and that is governed by …

(a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a legislative body of a local agency, based on advice of its legal counsel, from holding a closed session to confer with, or receive advice from, its legal counsel regarding pending litigation when discussion in open sessi…

(a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a joint powers agency formed pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5 of Division 7 of Title 1, for purposes of insurance pooling, or a local agency member of the joint powers agency, from holding …

(a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the legislative body of a joint powers agency formed pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5 of Division 7 of Title 1, from adopting a policy or a bylaw or including in its joint powers agreement …

Notwithstanding any provision of law, the governing board, or a committee of the governing board, of a public bank, as defined in Section 57600 of the Government Code, may meet in closed session to consider and take action on matters pertaining to all of the following: (a) A loan…

(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (1) “Shareholder, member, or owner local agency” or “shareholder, member, or owner” means a local agency that is a shareholder of a public bank. (2) “Public bank” has the same meaning as defined in Section 5…

(a) (1) This chapter does not prevent the legislative body of a local agency from holding closed sessions with the Governor, Attorney General, district attorney, agency counsel, sheriff, or chief of police, or other law enforcement or security personnel, or a security consultant …

(a) The legislative body of any local agency shall publicly report any action taken in closed session and the vote or abstention on that action of every member present, as follows: (1) Approval of an agreement concluding real estate negotiations pursuant to Section 54956.8 shall …

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a legislative body of a local agency may hold closed sessions to discuss a local agency employee’s application for early withdrawal of funds in a deferred compensation plan when the application is based on financial hardship arising fro…

(a) The legislative body of a local agency may, by ordinance or resolution, designate a clerk or other officer or employee of the local agency who shall then attend each closed session of the legislative body and keep and enter in a minute book a record of topics discussed and de…

(a) Agendas of public meetings are disclosable public records under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1), and shall be made available upon request without delay and in compliance with Section 54954.2 or Section 54956, as ap…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a legislative body of a local agency may hold closed sessions with the local agency’s designated representatives regarding the salaries, salary schedules, or compensation paid in the form of fringe benefits of its represented and un…