In 1953, the California Legislature passed the Ralph M. Brown Act in order to govern open meetings for local government bodies. Since then, the Brown Act has become synonymous with government transparency, public accessibility and civic engagement. As a complimentary resource for our public agency clients, Churchwell White LLP compiled a brief overview of the act, which breaks down the following:

• What is the Brown Act?
• Who is covered by the Brown Act?
• What is a Meeting?
• What are not Meetings?
• Rules for Public Meetings
• Agenda Requirements
• Notice Requirements
• Closed Session

Download the Ralph M. Brown Act Pocket Guide

While we hope the guide will be an informative resource for all, please understand that it is not meant to serve as a comprehensive explanation or legal advice. If you or your agency have any specific questions regarding the Brown Act, please contact your City Attorney or General Counsel. You may also reach out to one of our attorneys, Douglas White at doug@churchwellwhite or Nubia Goldstein at nubia@whitebrennerllp.com.