{"id":2049238,"date":"2023-09-29T07:28:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-29T11:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-approves-california-bill-allowing-virtual-government-meetings\/"},"modified":"2023-09-29T07:30:41","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T11:30:41","slug":"newsom-approves-california-bill-allowing-virtual-government-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-approves-california-bill-allowing-virtual-government-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsom OKs California Bill for Virtual Government Meetings."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnewsom-approves-california-bill-allowing-virtual-government-meetings%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2049238&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>California Allows Half of Government Meetings to\u2063 be\u2064 Held Online<\/h2>\n<p>California governing bodies can now hold half of their meetings online,\u200b thanks to a new\u2062 law signed by Gov. Gavin\u2062 Newsom. This extension of pandemic-era rules has garnered significant interest since \u200dit was introduced in February.<\/p>\n<p>The law,\u2064 known \u2062as Senate Bill 544, will modify the Bagley-Keene Open Meetings Act, which requires government agencies to allow public attendance and \u200dparticipation in meetings. However, it also restricts \u2063the public&#8217;s ability to attend some meetings in\u2064 person.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Critics argue that this new law will erode transparency and accountability, as \u200dgovernment officials will no longer \u2064be required to be on camera during virtual meetings. They believe it will allow \u2064agencies to avoid scrutiny\u200b and avoid \u200dface-to-face \u2064public testimony.<\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/california-bills-would-extend-expand-covid-era-online-government-meeting-options-5455719?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>California Bills Would Extend, Expand Covid-Era Online\u200d Government Meeting Options<\/h3>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/9\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/california-bills-would-extend-expand-covid-era-online-government-meeting-options-5455719?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/public-safety-advocates-urge-newsom-to-veto-psychedelic-bill-that-places-californians-in-danger-5500068?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Public Safety \u200dAdvocates Urge\u200b Newsom to Veto &#8216;Dangerous&#8217; Bill Legalizing Psychedelics<\/h3>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/28\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/public-safety-advocates-urge-newsom-to-veto-psychedelic-bill-that-places-californians-in-danger-5500068?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Under\u200d the new law, up \u200bto half of all\u2063 in-person government meetings \u200dcan now be held virtually, with the public attending via speakerphone. However, video attendance is not required.<\/p>\n<p>While the public can \u2063still participate by submitting\u2062 comments \u2062telephonically or in writing, government officials are not obligated to be on\u2063 camera\u2062 if they are ill \u2064or facing other disclosed issues.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters argue\u2063 that virtual meetings actually promote public attendance by\u2063 providing more convenient access.\u200b They believe it will\u200b benefit older adults, individuals with disabilities, low-income residents,\u200b rural Californians, and caregivers who face travel \u200cchallenges.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Parents speak at an Orange Unified School District board\u200b meeting in Orange, Calif., on Aug. 17, 2023. (John Fredricks\/The Epoch \u2063Times)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The bill, authored by Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), received approval\u2064 with a vote of 30\u20135 \u200cin the Senate and 50\u201315 in the \u200cAssembly.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are \u2062the arguments in favor of allowing online public meetings in \u2062California?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  ]&#8221;><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.reuters.com\/politics\/california-allows-online-public-meetings-to-bolster-attendance-2023-08-09\/\"><img alt=\"\" class=\"card-thumbnail lazyautosizes lazyloaded\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/resources_v2\/assets\/images\/reuters_logo_black.svg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/resources_v2\/assets\/images\/reuters_logo_black.svg\" sizes=\"300px\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.reuters.com\/politics\/california-allows-online-public-meetings-to-bolster-attendance-2023-08-09\/\"><\/p>\n<h3>California allows online\u2063 public meetings\u200c to bolster attendance<\/h3>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/9\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Proponents\u2061 of the law argue that it will increase accessibility and openness\u200c in\u200b government\u2062 proceedings. By allowing meetings \u200dto be held\u200c online, more people \u2064will have the opportunity to attend and\u2062 participate, \u200bespecially\u200c those who may face barriers \u2062such as\u200d distance or disability.<\/p>\n<p>During the COVID-19 pandemic, many government meetings were \u200dheld virtually\u200b to comply with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-10-best-jim-acosta-moments\/\" title=\"Top 10 'Best' Jim Acosta Moments\">social distancing measures<\/a>. This \u200ballowed\u2063 for\u2062 increased public\u2063 participation as residents could\u2063 join meetings from the comfort of\u200b their own homes. The new law recognizes \u2064the potential of virtual meetings to engage\u2062 a\u2064 wider audience \u200cand aims to continue this \u2064accessibility even after the pandemic.<\/p>\n<div class=\"quote m-4 p-4 border-l-4 border-primary-background\">\n<p>&#8220;This is a step forward in modernizing our government processes and making them more accessible to\u2062 the \u200cpublic,&#8221; said \u2062Gov. \u200dNewsom. &#8220;By allowing virtual meetings, we are \u200bpromoting\u200b transparency and expanding opportunities for \u2062participation.\u2062 It is important for government agencies to\u2062 adapt \u2062to \u2062the changing needs of the public.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Under the new law, government agencies will \u2062have the\u200d option to hold meetings\u2064 online, in-person,\u200c or a combination of both. However, at least half of their\u200c regular meetings must \u200dbe accessible for remote \u2064attendance.\u2063 This \u2063ensures that \u2064the public still has the opportunity to stay informed and participate in the decision-making process.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the law express concerns about \u200bthe potential\u2062 for \u200cabuse and \u200black \u200dof\u2062 accountability. They\u2064 worry that without the\u200c requirement for government officials to\u200c be\u2063 on camera\u200d during virtual meetings, transparency\u2062 may be compromised. Additionally,\u200c they believe that face-to-face interactions are crucial \u200bfor holding officials accountable and ensuring a\u2062 fair and democratic \u2062process.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the controversy, other states\u2063 have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/germany-imposes-strict-covid-19-restrictions-after-spike-in-cases\/\" title=\"Germany imposes strict COVID-19 restrictions after spike in cases\">implemented similar measures<\/a> to\u2064 allow online participation in \u200cgovernment \u200cmeetings. The COVID-19 \u2062pandemic has highlighted the benefits \u2062and\u200d challenges of\u200b virtual engagement, and\u2063 many jurisdictions are exploring ways to incorporate \u200donline options into their governing processes.<\/p>\n<p>The implementation\u2063 of \u2064Senate Bill \u200c544 marks California&#8217;s commitment to modernize\u2063 government practices and\u2064 adapt to\u200d changing\u200b circumstances.\u200b By allowing hybrid meetings, California is providing a balance between accessibility and\u2064 transparency, enabling more individuals to participate while still ensuring accountability. As the \u2063world becomes \u200dincreasingly\u2062 digital, the integration of online platforms in \u200bgovernment proceedings may become more common across the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the extension of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-approves-california-bill-allowing-virtual-government-meetings\/\" title=\"Newsom OKs California Bill for Virtual Government Meetings.\">online\u200c meeting options<\/a> in California demonstrates the \u2063ongoing evolution of democratic processes and the recognition of technology&#8217;s potential to enhance public participation. While concerns about transparency and accountability persist, the\u2064 benefits of accessibility\u2063 and inclusivity \u200bcannot\u200c be overlooked. As \u2063society \u200cevolves, \u2064it is crucial for governing \u200cbodies to strike a balance between tradition \u2062and innovation to\u200b best serve their constituents.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>California governing bodies can now conduct 50% of their meetings online, as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law. Senate Bill 544, introduced in February, has gained attention as it limits public access to certain government meetings. This extension of pandemic-era rules has sparked significant interest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2249,"featured_media":2049239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2049238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2049238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2249"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2049238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2049238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2049239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2049238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2049238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2049238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}