Industry Focus

Government & Public Sector

AI compliance and governance for California municipalities and local government agencies.

AI Governance for Local Government

Local governments face unique challenges deploying AI. Public accountability requirements, transparency mandates, budget constraints, and California-specific regulations create a compliance environment unlike any private sector industry.

Cities and counties are under increasing pressure to adopt AI for efficiency—permit processing, constituent services, code enforcement, public safety. But government AI requires heightened scrutiny. When algorithms affect zoning decisions, law enforcement, or public services, the stakes extend beyond the organization to the communities they serve.

Our Government Experience

Argam DerHartunian serves on the Planning Commission for the City of La Canada Flintridge, bringing direct, firsthand experience with municipal governance.

This isn’t theoretical knowledge. It’s practical understanding of:

  • How city commissions and councils actually make decisions
  • The interplay between staff recommendations and elected official oversight
  • Public meeting requirements under the Brown Act
  • Citizen engagement and transparency expectations
  • The procurement and budget realities of local agencies

This experience means we understand not just what the law requires, but how local government actually works—and where AI creates both opportunity and risk.

California Regulatory Environment

California municipalities operate under a distinct regulatory framework:

Brown Act

Public meetings must be open and transparent. AI tools that summarize discussions, generate minutes, or assist decision-making must not circumvent open meeting requirements.

California Public Records Act

AI-generated documents may be subject to disclosure. Agencies must understand what AI outputs constitute public records and how to respond to requests.

CCPA & CalOPPA

Constituent data collected through AI systems—chatbots, online services, permit applications—triggers privacy obligations.

CEQA

Environmental review processes increasingly involve AI-assisted analysis. Understanding how AI fits into CEQA compliance is essential for planning departments.

Key Service Areas

Policy & Governance

  • AI usage policies for city and county departments
  • Staff guidelines for AI tool adoption
  • Public disclosure requirements for AI-assisted decisions
  • Brown Act compliance frameworks

Planning & Permitting

  • AI-assisted zoning and land use review
  • Permit processing automation governance
  • CEQA compliance with AI analysis tools
  • Code enforcement AI oversight

Constituent Services

  • Chatbot and virtual assistant compliance
  • Language access requirements for multilingual AI
  • ADA accessibility for AI-powered interfaces
  • 311 and citizen inquiry automation

Procurement & Vendors

  • AI vendor evaluation for government contracts
  • RFP language and contract terms for AI services
  • Algorithmic impact assessments
  • Risk frameworks for AI procurement decisions

Public Safety

  • Surveillance technology governance policies
  • Body camera and license plate reader AI
  • Bias auditing for law enforcement AI tools
  • Community transparency and oversight requirements

Beyond California

While our primary focus is California municipalities, we work with local governments in other states navigating AI adoption. The core challenges—transparency, fairness, public accountability—are universal, even as specific regulations vary.

Need Guidance?

We help enterprises in government & public sector deploy AI with legal rigor and operational confidence.

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