School Board Passes Resolution Allowing Remote Meetings for 30 Days

The Pasadena Unified School District passed a resolution on Thursday that allows the district to hold virtual meetings for the next 30 days.

“The Board hereby proclaims that a local emergency now exists throughout the District, and meeting in person would present imminent health risks to attendees due to the prevalence of the [Omicron] variant of the COVID-19 virus, the indoor setting of meeting facilities, the potential presence of unvaccinated individuals attending meetings, the potential for noncompliance with mask wearing requirements, and the desire to protect the health of immune-compromised individuals. Social distancing is critical for slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus and preventing our health care system from becoming overwhelmed.

Under the Brown Act, state governing bodies must pass a resolution every 30 days to continue meeting online under the terms of Assembly Bill 361.

The City Council must also pass a similar resolution roughly every 30 days.

Under state law, real-time public comments must be allowed by phone or the internet. If the system fails allowing for public comment the meeting must be ended, according to the law.

Beyond that initial 30-day period, it must confirm the circumstances of the state of emergency and make required findings at least 30 days after adoption of the resolution and every 30 days thereafter.

An executive order signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom allowing virtual meetings and suspending parts of the Brown Act, which governs open meetings of legislative bodies, ended on Sept. 30.