(a) A legislative body of a student body organization shall conduct its business in public meetings. All meetings of the legislative body shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body, except as otherwise provided in this article.

(b) (1) As used in this article:

(A) “Legislative body” means any or all of the following:

(i) The governing body of any entity formed or operating pursuant to Section 89300.

(ii) The governing body of any statewide student organization that represents either the students of the California State University or the governing bodies of the student body organizations of the campuses of the California State University, or both.

(iii) A commission, committee, board, subboard, or other body, whether permanent or temporary, created by charter, resolution, or formal action of a legislative body described in clause (i) or (ii). However, an advisory committee is not a legislative body, except that a standing committee of a legislative body, irrespective of its composition, that has a continuing subject matter jurisdiction, or a meeting schedule established by charter, resolution, or formal action of a legislative body is a legislative body for purposes of this article.

(B) “Meeting” includes any congregation of a majority of the membership of a legislative body at the same time and place to hear, discuss, or deliberate upon any item that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body to which it pertains. “Meeting” does not include, and nothing in this section imposes the requirements of this article upon, any of the following:

(i) Individual contacts or conversations between a member of a legislative body and any other person.

(ii) The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at a conference or similar gathering open to the public that involves a discussion of issues of general interest to the public or to higher education of the type represented by the legislative body, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves, other than as a part of the scheduled program, business of a specified nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body. Nothing in this clause is intended to allow members of the public free admission to a conference or similar gathering at which the organizers have required other participants or registrants to pay fees or charges as a condition of attendance.

(iii) The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at an open and noticed meeting of another body or entity created or formed by the legislative body, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves, other than as a part of the scheduled meeting, business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.

(iv) The attendance of a majority of the members of a legislative body at a purely social or ceremonial occasion, provided that a majority of the members do not discuss among themselves business of a specific nature that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.

(2) For the purposes of this section, “teleconference” means a meeting of a legislative body, the members of which are in different locations, connected by electronic means, through either audio or video, or both.

(c) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the legislative body may use teleconferencing for the benefit of the public and the legislative body in connection with any meeting or proceeding authorized by law. The teleconferenced meeting or proceeding shall comply with all requirements of this chapter and all otherwise applicable provisions of law.

(2) Teleconferencing, as authorized by this section, may be used for all purposes in connection with any meeting within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body. All votes taken during a teleconferenced meeting shall be by rollcall.

(3) If the legislative body elects to use teleconferencing, it shall post agendas at all teleconference locations and conduct teleconference meetings in a manner that protects the statutory and constitutional rights of the parties or the public appearing before the legislative body. Each teleconference location shall be identified in the notice and agenda of the meeting or proceeding, and each teleconference location shall be accessible to the public. The agenda shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to address the legislative body directly pursuant to Section 89306 at each teleconference location.

(d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a student body organization from providing the public with additional teleconference locations.

(e) No legislative body shall take action by secret ballot, whether preliminary or final.

(Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 330, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2001.)