See the 2024 Impact Report >>

Search Results

Showing 21 - 30 of 148 results

Asked and Answered

Brown Act

“Amended” agenda for public meeting

Recently, I attended a local school board meeting in which an "Amended" Agenda was made available for the public after the regular agenda had already been published. This "amended" agenda was made available less than 72 hours before the meeting. Is this procedure OK?

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

City Council Met Prior to Public Meeting and Made Last-Minute Agenda Changes

[…] emails from the City regarding a developer's plan that was not made public. The mayor and a council member met before a public hearing in which the agenda was changed at the last minute. The vote was 4-1 in favor of the road we were promised would not go in. Does this violate the […]

May 17, 2018
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

How much detail does the Brown Act require for agenda items?

The board of supervisors recently passed a resolution requiring public water and sewer for homes built on properties smaller than 40 acres. The resolution number was not listed on the agenda. Is this a violation of the Brown Act?

June 8, 2012
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Emergency agenda items and proper notice requirements

My first question is: What is the correct procedure for adding an "emergency" item to a city Council agenda? Recently, a City Council added an "emergency" closed session to its agenda to discuss "anticipated litigation" without any motions or votes. My second question is about anticipated litigation: Must it be described in some fashion […]

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act First Amendment

Bundling agenda action items silences public input

I would like to question the legality of a new practice our school board school board to "bundle" regular action items on the agenda. At the only regular board meeting of August 2010, after approving the consent calendar, the board approved the regular agenda items as presented. Their own by-laws state an agenda item […]

September 17, 2010
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Special audience privilege and the Brown Act

[…] a board member (even she/he is not the committee member) to speak anytime during the committee meetings, but stop other audiences? 1. A board appointed committee meeting agenda only specifies 5 minutes at the beginning of the meeting for public comments on items "NOT ON THE AGENDA." Does it mean that audience can have […]

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Agenda Item Descriptions

Is it a Brown Act violation for a School Board agenda to include an item on its agenda called "Board Discussion"? I read 54954.2(b) An agenda must ...shall state the meeting time and place and must contain "a brief general description of each item of business to be transacted or discussed at the meeting, […]

June 14, 2009
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Agenda items failed to mention a parcel tax as part of ballot measure

[…] Measure A1 on the Nov ballot in Alameda County violated the Brown Act. a. The measure was first discussed at a special retreat on May 8. The Agenda (see url below) includes no mention of the Oakland Zoo or any parcel tax measure b. The Minutes of that meeting (url below) include no mention […]

October 23, 2013
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Does A Closed Session Employment Termination Decision Violate the Brown Act?

[…] Cal. App. 3d 831, 846 (1981). If the subject matter does fall into one of the categories above, the public must still be given notice on the agenda.Under the safe harbor descriptions provided for in Government Code § 54954.5, if the matter relates to a specific public employee – in your case, a current […]

November 12, 2018
Asked and Answered

Brown Act

Does Brown Act Allow Adding Agenda Items Less Than 72-Hours Before A Meeting?

A California City Council originally released an agenda for its regular meeting without a closed session. Each agenda usually has a closed session heading listed at the end of the meeting — but the council doesn't meet in closed session; it's like a placeholder. On its action calendar, the council was scheduled to discuss […]

May 19, 2020