National City adopts technology‑disruption policy to comply with California’s SB 707

The National City Council unanimously adopted a technology‑disruption policy designed to implement California Senate Bill 707 and strengthen public access protections during meetings.

City staff said the policy formalizes procedures the presiding officer and city clerk should follow when meetings are disrupted—first issuing a warning, then taking corrective measures such as muting or removing disruptive participants, and if necessary recessing the meeting while staff works to restore services. The policy also outlines steps to document interruptions and add notes to the minutes when 'good faith efforts' to restore service were made.

The staff presentation noted several compliance tasks already in place and a small set of remaining actions: adding visible nameplates on the dais, updating some HTML agenda requirements, and providing translated agendas (with Google Translate acceptable under the law). IT manager Ron Williams said the city already meets most requirements and expects only minor website or procedural changes.

Councilmembers praised the city clerk and IT staff for prior work on open‑meetings compliance; the motion to adopt the technology‑disruption policy and receive and file associated implementation procedures passed unanimously.

What happens next: staff will make the minor website and procedural updates needed to meet the July 1 requirements and provide training for presiding officers and IT staff to ensure consistent application of the policy.