CA AB194

Requires agendas for regular and special meetings to provide opportunities for public to directly address the legislative body before and during consideration of agenda items, with limited exceptions for items previously considered by committees.

Expands protections for public comment by prohibiting legislative bodies from limiting or preventing public criticism of agency policies, procedures, programs, services, acts, or omissions of the legislative body, its officers, or employees.

Prohibits questioning or interruption by the legislative body or its officers/employees from reducing the total time allocated for public testimony when time limits are set for particular issues or individual speakers.

Protects unprompted public comment during agenda item presentations and viewpoint-based comments that fall within the legislative body's subject matter jurisdiction.

Exempts translation time from counting toward a non-English speaker's allotted comment time when simultaneous translation equipment is not used.