Bill > SB155

This bill establishes the California Civic Media Program, to be administered by the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), with the primary goals of supporting California's journalism ecosystem, enhancing public understanding of local communities and government, and strengthening local news organizations. The program will create a California Civic Media Fund with an initial $10 million appropriation from the General Fund, which will be matched by private donations. GO-Biz will create a nine-person advisory board representing various media associations and community groups to provide recommendations on fund allocations. The program aims to support local and community news organizations, with a particular focus on serving underrepresented communities, and will prioritize increasing the number of journalists employed in the state. The bill includes strict guidelines that limit administrative costs to 7.5% of the fund and ensures that public money expenditures do not exceed private funding contributions. Notably, the fund will support online publications, community-facing journalism, and organizations that promote civic engagement and social integration, with the ultimate goal of reinforcing journalism's vital role in California's democracy.

Budget and Finance

Budget and Fiscal Review (Senate)

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB155