SB 707 Unpacked: What Every Clerk and AV Tech Needs to Know Before the 2026 Deadline

A White Paper for City & County Clerks

Prepared by Convene Research and Development

Scope and Purpose — This white paper translates the statutory text of California Senate Bill 707 (2025 – 2026 Regular Session) into operational guidance for clerks and AV teams. SB 707 amends the Ralph M. Brown Act to require expanded hybrid access, standardized disruption policies, and multilingual agenda translation beginning in 2026, with pilot and sunset dates through 2030. We synthesize the bill’s requirements, highlight likely pain points, and provide a 90/180/365 ‑ day roadmap that can be executed within existing staffing levels.

1. Executive Summary

SB 707 is a structural modernization of the Brown Act. For “eligible legislative bodies,” it requires two‑way remote participation, live webcasting, a codified disruption policy (approved by July 1, 2026), and translated agendas in “applicable languages” based on American Community Survey thresholds. It also recasts alternative teleconferencing rules, preserves the social‑media exception, and strengthens compensation disclosure. For clerks, the bill shifts risk from ad hoc practices to enforceable systems: a durable meetings hub, caption/telephony SLAs, and agenda translation workflows tied to ACS data.

2. Legislative Status and Effective Dates

As of September 2025, SB 707 (Durazo) is moving through the Assembly after Senate engrossment. Core provisions become operative in 2026. Text versions indicate that hybrid access and disruption‑policy requirements begin July 1, 2026, while some other provisions may take effect earlier by statute. The authorization for alternative teleconferencing and related requirements runs through January 1, 2030. Clerks should plan for staged compliance by mid‑2026 and expect technical conforming amendments before final enactment.

3. What Counts as an “Eligible Legislative Body”?

SB 707 applies its new access and translation requirements to “eligible legislative bodies,” a term defined in the bill. In general, the intent is to target legislative bodies whose actions significantly affect the public (e.g., city councils, county boards, certain powerful commissions). Subsidiary and multijurisdictional bodies receive tailored flexibilities, including designated in‑person locations under the alternative teleconferencing framework.

4. Required Hybrid Access: Two‑Way Participation + Webcast

Eligible bodies must provide, at a minimum, either a two‑way audiovisual platform or a two‑way telephonic service, plus live webcasting so the public may remotely hear and visually observe the meeting. This is an “and/also” design: real‑time participation AND passive viewing. Practically, this means maintaining a moderated remote queue with audible public comment and a webcast that can be watched without logging in.

5. Disruption Policy, Approval, and Recess Thresholds

By July 1, 2026, eligible bodies must adopt an open‑session policy describing how outages of telephonic or internet services will be handled. Where disruptions are attributable to the agency or its vendor, the policy must include recessing for at least one hour to make a good‑faith attempt to restore access. Logging, notice, and restatement of items are necessary to preserve equal participation.

6. Agenda Translation: “Applicable Languages” and ACS Thresholds

From July 1, 2026, through July 1, 2030, agendas must be translated into “applicable languages,” defined using the American Community Survey: languages jointly spoken by 20% or more of the applicable population, provided that 20% or more of that language community reports speaking English less than “very well.” Translated agendas must include joining instructions and any public‑comment registration requirements.

7. Alternative Teleconferencing (Through 2030)

SB 707 harmonizes and extends alternative teleconferencing. Legislative bodies using these provisions must list remote‑participating members and the enabling legal basis in the minutes, provide two‑way options, and maintain live webcasting. Subsidiary bodies must designate at least one physical location within the parent’s jurisdiction for in‑person attendance and participation.

8. Social Media Communications and Other Adjustments

The bill makes permanent the allowance for officials to use social media for general engagement (without discussing specific business among a majority), expands oral reporting for executive compensation to include department heads, standardizes website posting requirements for special meetings, and clarifies that passive viewing does not constitute “teleconferencing.”

9. Compliance Architecture for Clerks and AV Teams

Clerks should align policy, technology, and staffing into a single playbook: (a) policy (disruption, public comment parity, language access), (b) platform (meeting hub, encoder, captions, telephony), (c) process (preflight, live monitoring, archive within 72 hours), and (d) records (bundle video + VTT/SRT + minutes; metadata with Meeting ID).

10. Meeting‑Day Operations (Preflight → Live → Archive)

Preflight: validate stream links, telephony bridges, encoder health, caption visibility, and interpretation routing. Live: parity scripts for in‑person/remote comment; timers on‑screen and in room; outage clock for access disruptions; timestamp logging for any recess. Archive (≤72 hours): correct captions, attach VTT/SRT, bundle with minutes, and post translated agendas alongside English.

11. Language Access Implementation Under SB 707

Operationalize ACS thresholds annually: determine applicable languages; publish English and translated agendas simultaneously; and maintain translation memory and glossaries for consistency. For public comment, publish neutral instructions for third‑party or community‑provided interpretation that the body will facilitate on a reasonable‑efforts basis, as the bill contemplates.

12. AV/IT Technical Standards

Target live caption latency ≤ 2 seconds and post‑edit accuracy ≥ 95% within 72 hours. Maintain dual encoders or a rapid fallback, ensure audio gain staging prevents clipping, and record ISO audio where feasible for post‑production redaction. For two‑way telephony, provide DTMF‑based raise‑hand and a clear moderator script; for two‑way audiovisual, ensure browser‑based access without plugins.

13. Records, PRA, and Metadata Discipline

Treat agendas, minutes, video, captions, and exhibits as a single records bundle. Use a Meeting ID in filenames and metadata. Maintain an edit decision log for any redactions. In PRA responses, cite exemptions narrowly and provide redacted copies promptly. Maintain sealed masters where legally required (e.g., sensitive disclosures during public comment).

14. Risk Register and Controls

Common failure modes include caption outages during key votes, broken join links, unposted translations, and proceeding without recess during platform outages. Controls: pause/resume policy with one‑hour recess, T‑24h/T‑1h link checks, translation calendars, and live monitoring with escalation paths.

15. Procurement and SLAs (What to Buy, What to Require)

Write outcomes into contracts: WCAG 2.1 AA for the meetings hub; caption latency/accuracy targets; uptime/incident response; exportable media and caption files (MP4, VTT/SRT); data ownership; and prohibition on secondary content use. Require platform features for clipping/redaction, caption editing, and moderator controls for remote queues.

16. Budget & ROI (Small, Mid, Large Jurisdictions)

Budget levers are predictable: captions (live + post), telephony/AV platforms, translation/interpretation, and staff training. Avoided costs include re‑hearings, litigation risk, emergency vendor call‑outs, and PRA processing time. Track avoided spend to self‑fund remediation of high‑traffic pages and the meetings hub.

17. Implementation Roadmap (90/180/365 Days)

90 days: adopt a disruption policy; enable captions by default; publish a single meetings hub; begin ACS analysis for applicable languages. 180 days: execute SLAs; run a failover drill; pilot translation memory; post bilingual templates for high‑traffic bodies. 365 days: complete a full accessibility audit; integrate archives with caption files and metadata; publish an annual access report.

18. Training & Change Management

Run quarterly tabletop exercises (caption outage, telephony failure, remote queue disruption). Train dais and moderators on neutral enforcement and recess triggers. Capture lessons learned and feed them into SOP updates.

19. Case Vignettes (Anonymized)

Three anonymized examples—small city, mid‑size city, county board—illustrate how standardized preflight, recess triggers, and translation calendars reduced complaints, shortened PRA cycle times, and increased participation.

20. Appendices & Tools

RACI matrix; disruption policy template; remote comment SOP; caption QC checklist; pre‑meeting preflight; procurement clauses; audit checklist; and sample translation plan aligned to ACS thresholds.

Appendix A. RACI (Roles & Responsibilities)

Task	Clerk	Chair	AV/IT	Counsel/Compliance
Disruption Policy & Recess	A	C	R	C
Meetings Hub & Notices (incl. translations)	R	I	C	C
Hybrid Access (telephony/AV) & Captions	C	I	R	C
Records Bundle & PRA	A	I	C	C
ACS Review & Language Plan	R	I	C	C

Appendix B. Disruption Policy — Template (Excerpt)

1. Scope: Applies to all open and public meetings of eligible legislative bodies using telephony or audiovisual platforms.
2. Trigger: Outage affecting two‑way participation or webcast attributable to agency/vendor for ≥2 minutes starts the “recess clock.”
3. Response: Chair declares recess of ≥1 hour; AV attempts restoration; Clerk posts banner and updates hub; Moderator restates the current item on resumption and reopens comment.
4. Log: Clerk records timestamps, systems affected, and corrective actions; archive includes a note of the recess and restatement.

Appendix C. Caption QC Checklist

Live captions enabled and visible; toggle verified at gavel.
Latency sample each 30–60 minutes; escalate if >2 seconds.
Post‑edit within 72 hours; verify numbers, names, and motions.
Export and attach VTT/SRT to the archive; maintain speaker labels for key segments.

Appendix D. Translation Plan Aligned to ACS

Annual ACS pull; compute applicable languages per the 20%/“less than very well” thresholds.
Publish English and translated agendas simultaneously; include joining instructions and registration steps in each language.
Use translation memory/glossary; maintain vendor or community roster for surge translation.
Archive: retain language versions alongside English; update when items are continued.

Appendix E. Procurement Clauses (Excerpts)

Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA, independent annual test results shared with agency.
Hybrid Access: two‑way telephony or audiovisual + live webcast; moderator controls; caption editing; clip/redact tools.
Data: agency ownership; no secondary use; exportable media and captions; privacy disclosures for AI features.
Performance: uptime/incident response SLAs; remedies (credits, termination, transition assistance).

21. Statutory Definitions & Crosswalk

This section maps SB 707’s defined terms to existing Brown Act constructs and clerk operations. It clarifies how “eligible legislative body,” “two‑way telephonic service,” “two‑way audiovisual platform,” “webcast,” “applicable languages,” and “disruption” are used throughout the bill, and where they intersect with notice, agenda language, and minutes. The crosswalk avoids ambiguity during implementation and ensures SOPs speak the same vocabulary as the statute.

Term (SB 707)	Operational Meaning for Clerks	Records/Notice Impact
Eligible legislative body	Bodies whose actions significantly affect the public; generally councils/boards and major commissions.	Use standard agenda templates; apply hybrid and translation duties.
Two‑way telephonic service	Dial‑in with interactive public comment; queue management and DTMF raise‑hand.	Publish bridge and controls on agenda; retain call logs if policy requires.
Two‑way audiovisual platform	Browser‑based audio/video with moderated comment and on‑screen timers.	Post link, browser requirements, and decorum policy; capture attendee logs as permitted.
Webcast	Passive live stream for viewing without login.	Embed on meetings hub; ensure captions and recording for archive.
Applicable languages	Languages meeting ACS thresholds for translation.	Post translated agendas and joining instructions concurrently.
Disruption	Loss or material degradation of telephony/internet access attributable to agency/vendor.	Trigger recess clock; log timestamps; restate item upon resumption.

22. ACS Language Thresholds: Method & Examples

SB 707 ties translation to American Community Survey (ACS) data using a two‑part test. Clerks should formalize an annual ACS review and retain worksheets in the legislative file. The following method and worked examples demonstrate how to compute “applicable languages” without external consultants.

Document the data source (table/year), calculations, and the resulting translation list; publish it as an appendix to the Language Access Plan.
An “applicable language” meets both thresholds: ≥ 20% of population speaks it AND ≥ 20% of that group reports limited English proficiency.
For each non‑English language, compute: (i) % of the population that speaks the language; (ii) % of that language group reporting English less than “very well.”
Identify the “applicable population” (e.g., the city or county) and the ACS 5‑year table containing language and English‑proficiency data.

Language	% of Population	% “< very well”	Applicable?
Spanish	24%	38%	Yes (meets both thresholds)
Vietnamese	9%	28%	No (population share < 20%)
Chinese (all)	21%	17%	No (LEP share < 20%)
Tagalog	20%	22%	Yes (borderline population share; confirm rounding policy)

23. Disruption Policy SOP (Meeting‑Day Execution)

This standard operating procedure (SOP) operationalizes the recess requirement when disruptions are attributable to the agency/vendor. It uses a universal “recess clock,” documented roles, and consistent messages to the public.

Fallback: If unrecoverable within an hour, chair announces continuation with date/time; clerk updates hub and email lists.
Resumption: On recovery, chair restates the item and reopens the queue; clerk notes timestamps in minutes and incident log.
Recovery: AV works restoration; at 30 minutes, update banner; at 55 minutes, brief chair on status and options.
Announcement: Chair states disruption, cause if known, and that a one‑hour recess will begin; clerk posts room signage and hub banner.
Detection: AV monitor signals outage; clerk starts “recess clock.”

24. Platform Selection Matrix (Two‑Way + Webcast)

Selecting platforms should be outcomes‑based. The matrix below compares common approaches across accessibility, reliability, and records criteria. Clerks can use it to inform procurement and to set enforceable SLAs.


Criterion	Two‑Way Telephony	Two‑Way A/V (Browser‑Based)	Webcast (Passive)
Join friction	Low (phone)	Moderate (browser/device)	Very low
Captioning	IVR/bridge dependent; may require separate stream	Integrated; post‑edit feasible	Embedded; attach VTT/SRT in archive
Public comment control	DTMF raise‑hand; queue via moderator	On‑screen raise‑hand; visual timers	N/A (view only)
Reliability	High; PSTN fallback	Variable; depends on bandwidth	High when CDN used
Records/export	Call logs; audio capture	Participant logs; ISO audio	Stream recording; captions file

25. Records & PRA Mapping

Treat meeting artifacts as a bundled record with shared identifiers. The map below links artifacts to retention and PRA handling.


Artifact	Minimum Handling	Retention / PRA Notes
Agenda (EN + translations)	Accessible PDF/HTML; version control	Retain all language versions; cite statutory posting windows
Minutes	Structured headings; action/motion clarity	Publish alongside video link; cross‑reference Meeting ID
Video	Master + public copy; checksum	Seal masters if needed; provide redacted public copy
Captions (VTT/SRT)	Post‑edit within 72h; attach to video	Provide with video on PRA; aids searchability
Exhibits	Accessible format; remove personal identifiers	Redact narrowly; log basis

26. Training & Simulations

Quarterly simulations make the disruption policy and language plan real. Combine dais, clerk, AV, and counsel to rehearse failure modes and recovery scripts.

Platform crash mid‑vote (roll call on resumption; restatement for record)
Interpreter no‑show (community interpreter facilitation + limited continuance)
Broken join link at gavel (fallback link + phone bridge activation)
Caption failure during heated public comment (live correction + recess trigger)

27. Vendor Management & SLAs (Deep Dive)

Contract for outcomes, not features. Include accuracy/latency, uptime, incident response, exportability, data ownership, privacy, and remedies. Require test environments and quarterly business reviews with metrics tied to credits.

Privacy: disclose AI features; prohibit training on agency content without consent.
Data export: MP4 + VTT/SRT + CSV/JSON metadata; no secondary content use.
A/V uptime ≥ 99.5%; RTO ≤ 60 minutes; quarterly failover drill support.
Caption latency ≤ 2s; archive accuracy ≥ 95%; edit interface for VTT/SRT.

28. Program Timeline & Change Control

A lightweight change‑control process prevents regressions as vendors or SOPs evolve. Use a single change log for templates, policies, and platform updates.

Attach risk assessments and back‑out plans to change requests.
Pilot new features on a single body before agency‑wide rollout.
Version policies quarterly; date‑stamp and archive superseded versions.

29. KPIs, Dashboards & Audit Trails

KPIs should be small in number but predictive of risk. Publish quarterly dashboards to the governing body and store audit trails in the legislative file.

PRA bundle retrieval time (≤30 minutes)
Disruption incidents per quarter; mean time to restore (MTTR)
Broken‑link rate (<1%); remote parity index (≈1.0)
Caption uptime & latency (live); archive correction time (≤72h)

30. Glossary of Terms (Expanded)

Key terms used throughout the paper and in SB 707 practice. Use this glossary in training and SOPs to maintain common language across teams.

VTT/SRT — Caption file formats attached to videos and archives.
Recess clock — Timer used when access disruptions occur.
ISO audio — Isolated audio tracks captured for post‑production.
EDL — Edit Decision List logging redactions/edits with timestamps.
DTMF — Dual‑tone multi‑frequency tones used for phone controls.
Applicable languages — Languages meeting SB 707’s dual 20% thresholds.
ACS — American Community Survey used for language thresholds.

Footnotes

[1] SB 707 (Durazo), Open meetings: meeting and teleconference requirements, Legislative Counsel’s Digest and bill text (as amended July 8, 2025).

[2] SB 707, Section on hybrid access, disruption policy, and agenda translation dates (e.g., July 1, 2026 to 2030), and definitions of ‘applicable languages’ using ACS thresholds.

[3] Senate and Assembly policy analyses summarizing changes to the Brown Act, including teleconferencing revisions and language access elements (2025).

[4] News and stakeholder summaries describing the bill’s practical impact on local agencies (2025).

[5] Note: A different California SB 707 (2023–24) established a textiles EPR program; it is unrelated to Brown Act access requirements addressed in this paper.

Bibliography

California Legislature. SB 707 (2025–26), bill text and amendments.

California Senate & Assembly Committee Analyses on SB 707 (2025).

CalMatters Bill Tracker: SB 707 (2025), summary and status.

KPBS Coverage: Language access provisions under SB 707 (2025).

MISAC Legislative Update on SB 707 (2025).

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