Open meetings: public criticism and comment.

The Ralph M. Brown Act requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a legislative body of a local agency, as those terms are defined, be open and public and that all persons be permitted to attend and participate. The act requires an agenda for a regular meeting to provide an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body on any item of interest to the public, before or during the legislative body's consideration of the item, that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body. The act excepts from this requirement an agenda item that has already been considered by a committee, composed exclusively of members of the legislative…