Government Survival Guide for Local Officials
Congratulations! You’re a local government official in California. Now what? Unless you’ve served in public office before, the volume and maze of laws impacting local government officials can be overwhelming. And even if you have experience as a public official, the laws are constantly changing. What is a newly elected official to do?
Best Best & Krieger LLP’s Government Survival Guide for Local Officials is the essential training for newly elected leaders. The package includes four of our most popular – and most crucial for public officials – trainings in one curriculum. And it is available on your schedule, from anywhere, on any smartphone, tablet or computer.
Who Does What? Defining Proper Roles for Staff and Elected Officials (1 hour)
The most effective public agencies often share key traits in common. Among them is a solid history and practice of clearly defined and well-understood roles for the key players on the agency’s team. When staff and elected officials approach their different jobs with the knowledge and appreciation of what the other does, as well as what they, themselves, should be doing (or not doing), it’s easier for everyone to row in the same direction and move the legislative body’s priorities and agenda forward.
The Brown Act “Open Meetings Law” (1 hour)*
This training introduces California public officials to the Ralph M. Brown Act, which guarantees the public's right to attend and participate in governmental legislative bodies’ meetings. The training covers when the Act applies, how to avoid violations, exceptions to the Act and remedies for non-compliance.
Public Official Ethics Training that satisfies AB 1234 biannual requirement (2 hours)*
This training satisfies AB 1234 biannual training requirements for elected officials and other public officers and employees who are designated to receive ethics training. The training covers general ethics laws and principles, personal financial interests, personal advantages and perks, transparency laws and fair processes.
Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training that satisfies both AB 1825 and AB 1661 biannual requirements (2 hours)
This two hour presentation will comply with the requirements of AB 1825 and AB 1661 and cover: what constitutes sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, how to recognize and avoid harassment, what procedures to follow if you witness harassment or are harassed yourself, the potential consequences - including personal liability - of harassment, what constitutes abusive conduct in the workplace in compliance with AB 2053, and orientation, gender identity & gender expression in compliance with SB396.
Course length: 6 hours
If you would like additional information, please click here.
*AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for this activity. When CM credits are available, they are noted at the end of an activity description. More information about AICP’s CM program can be found at www.planning.org/cm.
