Sacramento, California - Governor Gavin Newsom Wednesday signed an executive order to protect Californians amid increasing COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations driven by the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

The order extends the sunset of AB 361, which the Governor signed in September to extend the flexibilities provided in a prior executive order enabling public agencies to meet remotely during the COVID-19 emergency.

Under the order signed today, state bodies are permitted to continue holding public meetings via teleconference through March 31, 2022.