A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the way it’s forced many government agencies to become more accessible to the public. As school boards and city councils moved their meetings out of board rooms and onto Zoom, some people who’d been unable to attend in person found they could easily connect and comment by phone or computer.
The use of technology has been an especially important change at the state Capitol, where, for decades, Californians could only participate in hearings if they could get to Sacramento — or pay a lobbyist to be there for them. The barriers to public participation — the cost of travel, time away from school or work — were enormous, with most of the state’s population hundreds of miles away in Southern California.
In 2020, though, COVID-19 pushed the Legislature to move into the 21st century. Or at least, the 20th century. Lawmakers began using a conference-calling system for people to phone in during public comment. Sure, that’s meant dealing with background noise and glitchy connections from some callers. Some people have had their lines cut off when they ramble too long. Poor audio quality has made it difficult for lawmakers to hear some phone testimony.
