Council adopts SB 707 implementation guidance, directs staff to finalize meeting disruption and virtual‑access rules

The City Council voted to adopt staff recommendations for implementing SB 707 — the California statute requiring two‑way audiovisual access for legislative bodies — and to direct staff to finalize related meeting policies and procedures.

Staff presented a phased implementation plan for FY 2026–27, funded with prior hardware purchases paid from the city’s restricted broadcast fund and a one‑year staffing budget request for IT support. Staff recommended starting hybrid two‑way audiovisual participation for City Council and San Dieguito Water District meetings, with additional commissions considered later. An administrative meeting‑disruption policy was proposed to address service outages: in case of a technology disruption staff will diagnose for up to one hour, after which the presiding officer reports and the council can choose to adjourn, extend recess or proceed by roll‑call vote if remote access has not been restored.

Council discussion focused on operational safeguards. Members raised concerns about verifying remote speakers, misuse (bots or coordinated online filibusters), background imagery and offensive signage on video, and the complexity of real‑time translation. Council directed staff to keep a conservative rollout (council and SDWD first), to require electronic presentation materials to be submitted in advance for vetting, to treat in‑person speakers first with the virtual queue closed only after in‑person testimony begins, and to examine restricting or eliminating time donations to preserve parity between in‑person and virtual participation. The council requested a visible countdown timer and automated audible cues for remote speakers to manage time and asked staff and the city attorney to return with final edits to policy C003 (Council meeting procedures) for adoption in May.

Why it matters: SB 707 imposes new access requirements on many California legislative bodies. The council’s actions set the local rules and timeline for hybrid participation and aim to balance accessibility obligations with security and operational manageability.

Next steps: Staff will implement the platform for council and SDWD meetings, prepare the memo and policy updates (including guidance on time donations), and return with an update in Q3 and the updated C003 policy in May.