Stockton City Council voted Tuesday to ban its members from bringing phones or devices into confidential meetings, enshrining in council rules its response to an apparent leak the San Joaquin County Grand Jury highlighted in its June report.
After a 6-0 vote — with District 2 Councilmember Dan Wright absent — councilmembers must now leave phones, smart watches, tablets, laptops and all other communication devices outside the room during closed session.
The presiding officer, typically the mayor unless he is absent, will be responsible for making sure councilmembers follow the rules, the policy states.
Stockton City Council: Despite ban, some members text on the dais
The vote also allowed councilmembers to step out of public meetings to answer messages about family emergencies and about business issues unrelated to city matters.
The grand jury recommended the closed-session device ban after finding that someone leaked details of the council’s March 2023 review of City Manager Harry Black’s performance.