California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued an Attorney General Opinion stating that remote participation in public meetings can be a reasonable accommodation under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The July 24 opinion will allow many individuals with disabilities to join and rejoin local boards and commissions.
During the pandemic, public meetings took place on Zoom. When the official public health emergency ended, cities and towns began requiring members to attend in person again. This made it hard and even impossible for people with disabilities to participate in local government. People with disabilities can be more greatly affected if they get COVID-19 and many deal with mobility and transportation barriers.
To learn more, read the Attorney General Opinion.