Local governments would be permanently required to offer remote access in public meetings under a new bill introduced into the California Assembly. Assembly Bill 1944, announced Feb. 9 by California Assemblymembers Alex Lee (D-San Jose) and Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), would change the current law that requires a majority vote to conduct remote meetings. The law would also waive a Brown Act requirement—which requires government affairs to be open to the public—that officials publicize their private addresses if they are teleconferencing remotely. “During the pandemic, we’ve seen that remote public participation for governments is not only possible, but vital to many folks who otherwise would be excluded from decision-making spaces,” Lee said in a statement. “I’m proud to fight for the modernization of the Brown Act and the continued utilization of these important tools.” Lee argued that the Brown Act’s requirement to disclose private addresses could hurt an official’s ability to conduct …