New Brown Act Updates Under SB 1187
Urgent Changes to Brown Act Language Requirements
In 2025, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 707 (SB 707) into effect, which brought along massive updates to the Ralph M. Brown Act, in hopes of modernizing the bill and increasing access and participation in public meetings. However, on September 18, 2026, Governor Newsom along with the California Legislature moved to repeal several provisions of the Brown Act that were enacted last year by ratifying Senate Bill 1187 (SB 1187).
SB 1187, introduced by Senator Durazo, repeals three main provisions of the Brown Act that were previously implemented under its predecessor, in aims of discontinuing the one-size-fits-all mandate for translation, interpretation and outreach services. In particular, the bill repeals requirements for (1) in-meeting interpretations, (2) translations of meeting agendas and (3) various outreach and participation measures. These changes are likely to only impact eligible legislative bodies as those were the entities mandated to implement these specific updates.
Interpretation-Based Changes
Previously, an eligible legislative body was required to assist members of the public in translation of any public meeting. This included:
- Arranging space for interpreters at the meeting location
- Allowing extra time during meetings for interpretation
- Allowing individuals to use personal equipment for interpretations
- Providing interpreters, if the body elected to do so
Now, eligible legislative bodies are no longer required to provide any of these services or assist in interpretation of public meetings to comply with the Brown Act. However, all legislative bodies should note that removal of these requirements under the Brown Act, does not override or negate any accessibility standards required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or similar state accessibly laws.
Translation-Based Changes
In addition, eligible legislative bodies were required to:
- Translate the agenda and instructions on how to participate in meetings into any language spoken jointly by 20 percent or more of an applicable population that also speaks English less than “very well” according to the American Community Survey;
- Provide reasonable assistance to members of the public who wish to use personal interpreters, such as arranging space for interpreters and allowing extra time for interpretation;
- Translate new webpages dedicated to information concerning public meetings into any language spoken jointly by 20 percent or more of an applicable population that also speaks English less than “very well” according to the American Community Survey;
- Make a physical location, within reasonable proximity to the location where the agenda is posted, freely accessible to the public so the public may post additional translations of that agenda.
But, given the passing of SB 1187, these requirements are repealed and no longer necessary for eligible legislative bodies to provide.
Outreach and Participation Based Changes
The Brown Act also required eligible legislative bodies to take specific actions to encourage residents to participate in public meetings, including:
- Provide a system for electronically accepting and fulfilling requests for meeting agendas;
- Have an accessible internet webpage dedicated to information concerning public meetings and how members of the public may participate, including a link to the page on the agency’s home page; and
- Make reasonable efforts to invite groups that do not traditionally participate in public meetings to attend those meetings, such as outreach to media organizations serving non-English-speaking communities or civic engagement organizations. The legislative body has broad discretion to implement these efforts.
However, eligible legislative bodies are no longer required to provide an electronic agenda request system or maintain an accessible internet webpage for public meeting information. Eligible legislative bodies are still expected to make reasonable efforts to invite non-traditional groups to public meetings, as doing such keeps with the spirit of increasing participation in public meetings, without creating a universal unfitting standard that all bodies must follow.
Enactment and Practical Considerations
The Legislature has enacted SB 1187 as an urgency statute, which allows for the immediate enactment of the bill as well as the immediate repeal of all of the abovementioned provisions and requirements. For entities that enacted certain policies or revised particular standards to comply with the expired provisions, there may be a need to repeal or further revise those policies and standards to fully remove the requirements placed upon them.
For more information on the impact of these changes and how to best implement then in your jurisdiction, contact Nicholaus Norvell, Frank Splendorio and Elleasse Taylor.
