Santa Rosa residents will soon have a seat at the digital table again.
The Press Democrat reports starting this summer, the city is reinstating Zoom public comments for all council meetings to comply with Senate Bill 707, a new state law mandating remote access for larger California cities. The practice was previously shelved in 2023 after meetings were repeatedly derailed by organized online trolls using racist and anti-Semitic slurs.
While officials acknowledge the risk of further disruptions, they emphasize that the move is vital for accessibility, saving rural residents and busy families from hours of travel to City Hall.
To keep order, the city is updating its protocols to include strict warnings and the power to mute or remove any participants who engage in abusive or non-germane speech.
