Bill > AB343

This bill expands the definition of "elected or appointed official" under the California Public Records Act to include additional categories of judicial and legal professionals, such as retired judges and court commissioners, retired federal judges and defenders, retired judges from federally recognized Indian tribes, and court-appointed children's counsel in family or dependency proceedings. The bill aims to protect personal information of these officials by preventing disclosure of sensitive details like home addresses and phone numbers to reduce the risk of harassment or targeted violence. By broadening the scope of protected officials and maintaining existing restrictions on unauthorized information disclosure, the bill creates a new criminal penalty for revealing such protected information. The legislation includes a legislative finding that the need to protect officials and their families from potential harm outweighs the public's interest in accessing their personal details. Notably, the bill specifies that no reimbursement will be required from local agencies or school districts for implementing these changes, as the modifications primarily relate to creating or modifying criminal provisions.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB343