California Assembly Bill AB435 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 435AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 28, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 18, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chang (Coauthors: Assembly Members  Gallagher     and Olsen   Gallagher,   Olsen,   and Steinorth  ) (Coauthor: Senator Anderson) FEBRUARY 19, 2015 An act to add Sections 12805.4 and 12812.4 to the Government Code, relating to state government. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 435, as amended, Chang. California Environmental Protection Agency: Natural Resources Agency: Web casts of public meetings and workshops. Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Natural Resources Agency as agencies in the state government. Existing law, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, generally requires that all meetings of a state body be open and public. This bill would require that each department, board, and commission of the Natural Resources Agency and each department, board, and office of the California Environmental Protection Agency Web cast all  onsite  public meetings  and workshops  , in a manner that enables listeners and viewers to ask questions and provide public comment by telephone or electronic communication commensurate with those attending the meeting  or workshop  . The bill would require the agencies to  archive the recording of a Web cast   make the recording of a Web cast available online for no less than 3 years  for subsequent  reasonable  viewing by interested members of the public. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 12805.4 is added to the Government Code, to read: 12805.4. (a) For purposes of this section, "Web cast" means a media presentation distributed over the Internet using live streaming media technology to distribute content to listeners and viewers. (b) Each department, board, and commission of the Natural Resources Agency shall Web cast all public meetings  and workshops  in a manner that enables listeners and viewers to ask questions and provide public comment by telephone or electronic communication commensurate with those persons attending the  meeting or workshop.   meeting.  The agency shall  archive the recording of a Web cast   make the recording of a Web cast available online for no less than three years  for subsequent  reasonable  viewing by interested members of the public. (c) The requirements of subdivision (b) do not apply to a conservancy or the California Science Center. This subdivision does not limit the authority of the agency to Web cast meetings  or workshops  of a conservancy or the California Science Center.  (d) The requirements of subdivision (b) do not apply to public meetings held at nonagency sites. This subdivision does not limit the authority of the agency to Web cast meetings of any department, board, or commission held at a nonagency site.  SEC. 2. Section 12812.4 is added to the Government Code, to read: 12812.4. (a) For purposes of this section, "Web cast" means a media presentation distributed over the Internet using live streaming media technology to distribute content to listeners and viewers. (b) Each department, board, and office of the California Environmental Protection Agency shall Web cast all public meetings  and workshops  in a manner that enables listeners and viewers to ask questions and provide public comment by telephone or electronic communication commensurate with those persons attending the  meeting or workshop.   meeting.  The agency shall  archive the recording of a Web cast   make the recording of a Web cast available online for no less than three years  for subsequent  reasonable  viewing by interested members of the public. (c) The deputy secretary for external affairs shall be responsible for implementation of this section.  (d) The requirements of subdivision (b) do not apply to public meetings held at nonagency sites. This subdivision does not limit the authority of the agency to Web cast meetings of any department, board, or commission held at a nonagency site.