Last week, Ana Matosantos, Cabinet Secretary to Governor Gavin Newsom responded to a letter sent from CSDA’s CEO, Neil McCormick, and other local government association representatives regarding the possible recension of Executive Order N-29-20, which provided the authority for local governments to conduct their business through virtual public meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter requested that if the Executive Order was going to be rescinded that local governments be provided a transition period to allow local agencies time to effectively adjust to whatever new state or local public health and safety requirements may exist to ensure a deliberative and collaborative approach to return to in-person public meetings.
The response from Cabinet Secretary Matosantos made it clear that public agencies will be able to continue virtual public meetings after June 15. In part, the response read:
Please be assured that this Executive Order Provision will not terminate on June 15 when the Blueprint is scheduled to terminate. While the Governor intends to terminate COVID19 executive orders at the earliest possible date at which conditions warrant, consistent with the Emergency Services Act, the Governor recognizes the importance of an orderly return to the ordinary conduct of public meetings of state and local agencies and boards. To this end, the Governor’s office will work to provide notice to affected stakeholders in advance of rescission of this provision to provide state and local agencies and boards time necessary to meet statutory and logistical requirements. Until a further order issues, all entities may continue to rely on N-29-20.
CSDA will continue to share additional information on this issue as it becomes available.
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