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 16, 2012
Consultant: Jacqueline Wong-Hernandez
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)
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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
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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.