BILL ANALYSIS Ó Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair AB 1723 (Fuentes) - Live Video and Audio Transmission of Meetings. Amended: August 6, 2012 Policy Vote: Education 9-0 Urgency: No Mandate: No Hearing Date: August 6, 2012 Consultant: Jacqueline Wong-Hernandez This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: AB 1723 expands the requirements to be met by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges (CCC), the Trustees of the California State University (CSU), the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC), and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), as well as EdFund, regarding live broadcasts of their public meetings to include live video transmissions, and requests the University of California (UC) to comply with these provisions. Fiscal Impact: The requirements of this bill will result in varying costs by segment and agency, because they differ in current practice and access to appropriate technology. CCC: No additional costs; the CCC Board of Governors currently complies with the requirements of this bill. CSU: $550,000 in one-time costs to bring facility infrastructure and equipment up to a level capable of providing live video transmissions, and minor ongoing costs to store video on-line. UC: $78,000 - $123,000 in initial equipment and contracting expenses, and $49,000-$110,000 in ongoing costs. CSAC: $53,600 in initial contracting costs, and $35,200 in ongoing costs. Background: Existing law requires the boards of the segments and the CPEC and CSAC (and affiliated) auxiliaries to conduct meetings in public pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. Existing law also requires that broadcasting, audio-recording or video-recording must be allowed so long as it does not disrupt the meeting. (Government Code §11120-11132) AB 1723 (Fuentes) Page 1 Existing law also requires the Board of Governors of the CCC, the Trustees of the CSU, the CPEC, and the CSAC, as well as EdFund, and requests the UC, to make a live audio broadcast of each of its open public meetings available on the internet through a technology accessible to as large a segment of the population as possible using cable, satellite, over-the-air, or other type of transmission that can be accessed via television, or via webcast. (Education Code §66020.5) Proposed Law: AB 1723 expands those requirements regarding live broadcasts of public meetings of the segments' governing boards. Specifically, this bill: 1) Expands current law requirements beyond live audio broadcast of open meetings to additionally require live video transmissions; 2) deletes "over-the-air" technology as an option for live video transmission; 3) requires that the specified entities archive and post video and audio transmission on their respective websites within 48 hours and for at least 12 months; and, 4) requests that the UC Regents comply with these provisions.Related Legislation: AB 1436 (Portantino) Ch. 233/2010 required the Board of Governors of the CCC, the CSU Trustees, the CPEC, and the CSAC, as well as EdFund, and requested the UC, to make a live audio broadcast of each of its open public meetings available on the internet, as specified. Staff Comments: Of the entities subject the provisions of this bill, only the CCC Board of Governors currently completes the activities required by this bill. The CSU estimates that it would incur $550,000 in equipment and related costs to be able to stream live video, which CSU reports its current technology cannot do. The CSU also anticipates $20,000-$30,000 in annual video recording costs, and to store the video online for the specified time period. The UC estimates a total first year cost of $78,000-$123,000 for software purchases and camera equipment, as well as to provide streaming video of all open session meetings of the UC Regents and committees. Annual costs, after the first year, are estimated to be $49,000-$110,000 to record the video and store it, depending on vendor contract pricing and whether the UC is AB 1723 (Fuentes) Page 2 able to move the work in-house. It is not clear why the initial equipment purchase costs would vary widely between the CSU and the UC. The CSAC, which has fewer public meetings than the UC and CSU, estimates a total first year cost of $53,600 and ongoing costs of $35,200. This estimate assumes the CSAC would contract with a vendor to provide the video coverage and technology, and would store the videos on its existing server. Recommended Amendments: Staff recommends that references to CPEC be removed from the bill.