Bill > SB1114

This bill strengthens the privacy protections for voluntary demographic data related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status, collectively referred to as SOGISC data, which certain California state agencies and public colleges and universities collect under existing laws like the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Disparities Reduction Act. Specifically, the legislation explicitly defines SOGISC information and prohibits covered state entities and public postsecondary institutions from sharing personally identifiable SOGISC data with any entity outside of California state or local government, except under narrow, specific circumstances such as valid court orders, mandatory federal program requirements, or necessary public health interventions. To safeguard this sensitive information from public exposure, the bill also exempts SOGISC data from disclosure under the California Public Records Act—a state law that generally grants the public access to government records—unless the data has been deidentified or its release is permitted by the Information Practices Act of 1977, a state law that regulates how government agencies handle personal records. Furthermore, the legislation expands the scope of existing privacy laws by making unauthorized disclosures or obtaining these confidential records under false pretenses subject to criminal misdemeanor penalties under the Information Practices Act, ensuring that individuals who voluntarily share their sexual orientation or gender identity with the state are protected from unwanted exposure or misuse of their personal information.