Long Beach starts SB 707 two-way remote comment July 21, 2026
Ask Interactive NewsLook for updates to this storyFind out what has changed since this story was published.
Starting July 21, 2026, Long Beach says the public will be able to join City Council meetings remotely and provide live, two-way public comment.
The update is tied to California’s SB 707. The City Clerk says remote commenters will be able to use either a two-way audiovisual option or a two-way telephonic option for live comment. (More “participation instructions and meeting procedures” will be posted closer to the date.)
What changes for public comment on July 21
Long Beach’s City Clerk is framing the July 21 start as “new ways to engage,” noting that SB 707 requires cities to provide an opportunity for the public to participate remotely and give live comment.
For Long Beach, that means live remote public comment through either:
- a two-way audiovisual platform, or
- a two-way telephonic option.
What SB 707 requires—and why it matters
SB 707 is designed to ensure remote access is real, not just symbolic. In particular, it requires that:
- Meetings include an opportunity for the public to attend remotely via two-way telephonic or audiovisual participation (with an exception if adequate service isn’t operational at the meeting location during a given portion of the meeting).
- When the city provides the two-way remote options, remote speakers get the same time allotment as someone attending in person.
If phone or internet breaks during the meeting
SB 707 also sets a formal disruption framework that local agencies must adopt. Specifically, it requires an eligible legislative body to approve—at a noticed public meeting in open session, not on the consent calendar—a disruption policy by on or before July 1, 2026.
That SB 707 disruption policy must cover:
- Procedures for recessing and reconvening if telephonic or internet service is disrupted.
- Efforts the body will make to attempt to restore the service.
If the disruption prevents members of the public from attending or observing via the two-way remote options during the meeting, SB 707 directs the legislative body to recess the open session for at least one hour and make a good-faith attempt to restore service (with the option to meet in closed session during that period). If service still isn’t restored, SB 707 also requires a roll-call finding before reconvening.
What Long Beach’s June 16 agenda tells residents
On June 16, 2026, the Long Beach City Council agenda included item 26-55463: a recommendation to adopt a resolution establishing a policy addressing disruptions to telephonic and internet service during City Council meetings.
In other words: the City is aligning its local disruption policy with what SB 707 requires—so if your phone or internet connection fails mid-meeting, the City’s adopted disruption policy (and SB 707’s minimum standards) will determine what happens next.
What to do now (especially if you comment from home)
As July 21 approaches, Long Beach says it will post additional participation instructions. If you plan to comment remotely, it’s smart to:
- Check the City Clerk’s meeting participation instructions as the July meeting gets closer.
- Have a backup plan in case your call-in or internet connection is unstable—SB 707 contemplates disruptions, and they can affect the timing of when remote access resumes.
Sources
- Long Beach City Clerk — Meetings page (virtual public comment instructions/timing)
- Long Beach City Council agenda for June 16, 2026 (Swagit event page; City Clerk disruption-policy item 26-55463)
- California Legislative Information — SB 707 (bill text and official legislative details)
Ask Interactive NewsLook for updates to this storyFind out what has changed since this story was published.
Discover more from Interactive News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.