Opinion No. (2005)

BILL LOCKYER Attorney General SUSAN DUNCAN LEE Deputy Attorney General THE HONORABLE HILDA CANTÚ MONTOY, CITY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY, CITY OF FRESNO, has requested an opinion on the following question: May the agenda of a meeting of a city council be posted on a touch-screen electronic kiosk accessible without charge to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in lieu of posting a paper copy of the agenda on a bulletin board? CONCLUSION The agenda of a meeting of a city council may be posted on a touch-screen electronic kiosk accessible without charge to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in lieu of posting a paper copy of the agenda on a bulletin board. ANALYSIS The Ralph M. Brown Act (Gov. Code, §§ 54950-54962; "Act") 1 generally requires legislative bodies of local agencies to hold their meetings open to the public. (§ 54962; see 78 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 327 (1995); 76 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 289 (1993); 75 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 89 (1992).) Ordinarily, a local legislative body may not discuss or take action on any item that does not appear on the agenda for the meeting, which agenda must be posted in a location accessible to members of the public. 2 The question…