BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 103
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 17, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
SB 103 (Liu) - As Amended: July 12, 2011
Policy Committee: Governmental
Organization Vote: 13 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill requires, upon the request of a member of a state
body, a state body to hold open or closed meeting by
teleconference, unless the chair of that state body determines
that it is more costly to hold the meeting by teleconference
than it would be to hold it in person. In addition, this bill
requires state agencies that operate internet websites to
provide a live audio or video feed on the website for any board
meetings that are open to the public.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Boards that currently offer webcasting report costs of
approximately $2,000 per meeting, with additional archiving
costs of approximately $100 per month. Given the large number
of boards and other agencies in the state that currently hold
regular monthly or quarterly meetings and maintain a website
for their organization, annual costs could easily exceed
several million dollars (General Fund and various special
funds).
2)To the extent video and teleconferencing reduces state costs
for boards that no longer have to regularly pay for their
members to travel to meetings, it could result in savings to
various general fund and special fund departments.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The bill would allow state organizations to use
teleconferencing when it is more cost-effective than travel.
According to the author, agencies and departments should
SB 103
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conduct meetings electronically to save resources and reduce
costs. Video and teleconferencing are green technologies that
allow organizations to mitigate energy use and reduce costs by
dramatically reducing the need to travel.
In addition, this bill requires all state agencies and boards
to provide a live audio or video broadcast of their open
meetings if those agencies currently operate an internet
website.
2)Support . Sierra Club of California states that with
relatively inexpensive video and teleconferencing equipment
available, and considering the state's deficit, California
cannot afford to continue reimbursing gratuitous travel costs.
Additionally, transportation produces nearly 40 % of the
greenhouse gas emissions in California. Moreover, SB 103
would increase opportunities for public participation in
agency decision-making by requiring live audio or video of
public meetings to be posted online.
Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081