(a) Notwithstanding Section 7922.000 or any other provisions of law, agendas of public meetings and other writings, when distributed to all, or a majority of all, of the members of a state body by any person in connection with a matter subject to discussion or consideration at a public meeting of the body, are disclosable public records under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1), and shall be made available upon request without delay. However, this section shall not include any writing exempt from public disclosure under Section 7924.100, 7924.105, 7924.110, 7924.510, or 7924.700 of this code, any provision listed in Section 7920.505 of this code, or Section 489.1 or 583 of the Public Utilities Code.

(b) Writings that are public records under subdivision (a) and that are distributed to members of the state body prior to or during a meeting, pertaining to any item to be considered during the meeting, shall be made available for public inspection at the meeting if prepared by the state body or a member of the state body, or after the meeting if prepared by some other person. These writings shall be made available in appropriate alternative formats, as required by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12132), and the federal rules and regulations adopted in implementation thereof, upon request by a person with a disability.

(c) In the case of the Franchise Tax Board, prior to that state body taking final action on any item, writings pertaining to that item that are public records under subdivision (a) that are prepared and distributed by the Franchise Tax Board staff or individual members to members of the state body prior to or during a meeting shall be:

(1) Made available for public inspection at that meeting.

(2) Distributed to all persons who request notice in writing pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 11125.

(3) Made available on the internet.

(d) Prior to the State Board of Equalization taking final action on any item that does not involve a named taxpayer or feepayer, writings pertaining to that item that are public records under subdivision (a) that are prepared and distributed by board staff or individual members to members of the state body prior to or during a meeting shall be:

(1) Made available for public inspection at that meeting.

(2) Distributed to all persons who request or have requested copies of these writings.

(3) Made available on the internet.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a state body from charging a fee or deposit for a copy of a public record pursuant to Section 7922.530, except that no surcharge shall be imposed on persons with disabilities in violation of Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12132), and the federal rules and regulations adopted in implementation thereof. The writings described in subdivision (b) are subject to the requirements of the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1), and shall not be construed to limit or delay the public’s right to inspect any record required to be disclosed by that act, or to limit the public’s right to inspect any record covered by that act. This section shall not be construed to be applicable to any writings solely because they are properly discussed in a closed session of a state body. Nothing in this article shall be construed to require a state body to place any paid advertisement or any other paid notice in any publication.

(f) “Writing” for purposes of this section means “writing” as defined under Section 7920.545.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 615, Sec. 162. (AB 474) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 463 of Stats. 2021, Ch. 615.)