BILL NUMBER: AB 435	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 18, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 25, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 28, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 18, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Chang
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members 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  , except as
specified,  and each department, board, and office of the
California Environmental Protection Agency Web cast all onsite public
meetings, 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. The bill
would require the agencies to make the recording of a Web cast
available online for no less than 3 years for subsequent 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, the following terms
have the following  meaning:   meanings: 
   (1) "Nonagency site" means a location other than agency
headquarters or state government buildings or facilities where the
primary operations of the agency or any of its departments, boards,
or commissions take place.
   (2) "Web cast" means a media presentation distributed over the
Internet using live streaming media technology to distribute content
to listeners and viewers.
   (b)  Each   Except as provided in
subdivisions (c)   and (d), each  department, board,
and commission of the Natural Resources Agency shall Web cast all
public meetings 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.
The agency shall make the recording of a Web cast available online
for no less than three years for subsequent 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 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. 
   (e) It is not a violation of this section if technical failures
prevent a department, board, or commission from providing, archiving,
or posting a Web cast, so long as the entity exercises reasonable
diligence. 
  SEC. 2.  Section 12812.4 is added to the Government Code, to read:
   12812.4.  (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms
have the following  meaning:   meanings: 
   (1) "Nonagency site" means a location other than agency
headquarters or state government buildings or facilities where the
primary operations of the agency or any of its departments, boards,
or offices take place.
   (2) "Web cast" means a media presentation distributed over the
Internet using live streaming media technology to distribute content
to listeners and viewers.
   (b)  Each   Except as provided in subdivision
(d), each  department, board, and office of the California
Environmental Protection Agency shall Web cast all public meetings 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. The agency
shall make the recording of a Web cast available online for no less
than three years for subsequent 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 office held at a nonagency site. 
   (e) It is not a violation of this section if technical failures
prevent a department, board, or office from providing, archiving, or
posting a Web cast, so long as the entity exercises reasonable
diligence.