Brown Act
Ralph M. Brown Act Government Code §54950 to 54962 The Ralph Brown Act was adopted in 1953 to provide guidance to local governments on procedures for conducting open and public hearings (and, inversely, circumstances under which a government body can hold a closed session). Since its initial adoption, the Brown Act has been amended numerous times and continues to be.
Resources: • The Brown Act: Open Meetings for Local Legislative Bodies (2003), California Attorney General’s Office (http://www.ag.ca.gov/open_government/) • Open & Public IV: A Guide to the Ralph Brown Act (2007), League of California Cities.