Section 54956.5 - [Effective 1/1/2025] Emergency situation defined; emergency meetings(a) For purposes of this section, "emergency situation" means both of the following:(1) An emergency, which shall be defined as a work stoppage, crippling activity, or other activity that severely impairs public health, safety, or both, as determined by a majority of the members of the legislative body.(2) A dire emergency, which shall be defined as a crippling disaster, mass destruction, terrorist act, or threatened terrorist activity that poses peril so immediate and significant that requiring a legislative body to provide one-hour notice before holding an emergency meeting under this section may endanger the public health, safety, or both, as determined by a majority of the members of the legislative body.(b)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), in the case of an emergency situation involving matters upon which prompt action is necessary due to the disruption or threatened disruption of public facilities, a legislative body may hold an emergency meeting without complying with either the 24-hour notice requirement or the 24-hour posting requirement of Section 54956 or both of the notice and posting requirements.(2) Each local newspaper of general circulation and radio or television station that has requested notice of special meetings pursuant to Section 54956 shall be notified by the presiding officer of the legislative body, or designee thereof, one hour prior to the emergency meeting, or, in the case of a dire emergency, at or near the time that the presiding officer or designee notifies the members of the legislative body of the emergency meeting. (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the notice required by this paragraph shall be given by telephone and all telephone numbers provided in the most recent request of a newspaper or station for notification of special meetings shall be exhausted. In the event that telephone services are not functioning and the legislative body is not a school board, the notice requirements of this paragraph shall be deemed waived, and the legislative body, or designee of the legislative body, shall notify those newspapers, radio stations, or television stations of the fact of the holding of the emergency meeting, the purpose of the meeting, and any action taken at the meeting as soon after the meeting as possible.(B) For an emergency meeting held by a school board pursuant to this section, the presiding officer of the school board, or designee thereof, may send the notifications required by this paragraph by email instead of by telephone, as provided in subparagraph (A), to all local newspapers of general circulation, and radio or television stations, that have requested those notifications by email, and all email addresses provided by representatives of those newspapers or stations shall be exhausted. In the event that internet services and telephone services are not functioning, the notice requirements of this paragraph shall be deemed waived, and the school board, or designee of the school board, shall notify those newspapers, radio stations, or television stations of the fact of the holding of the emergency meeting, the purpose of the meeting, and any action taken at the meeting as soon after the meeting as possible.(c) During a meeting held pursuant to this section, the legislative body may meet in closed session pursuant to Section 54957 if agreed to by a two-thirds vote of the members of the legislative body present, or, if less than two-thirds of the members are present, by a unanimous vote of the members present.(d) All special meeting requirements, as prescribed in Section 54956 shall be applicable to a meeting called pursuant to this section, with the exception of the 24-hour notice requirement.(e) The minutes of a meeting called pursuant to this section, a list of persons who the presiding officer of the legislative body, or designee of the legislative body, notified or attempted to notify, a copy of the rollcall vote, and any actions taken at the meeting shall be posted for a minimum of 10 days in a public place as soon after the meeting as possible.Amended by Stats 2024 ch 565 (AB 2350),s 1, eff. 1/1/2025.Amended by Stats 2002 ch 175 (SB 1643), s 2, eff. 1/1/2003. See Stats 2024 ch 565 (AB 2350), s 3.This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.