Blanca Pacheco
- Democratic
- Assemblymember
- District 64
Author
Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires state and local agencies to make their records available for public inspection, unless an exemption from disclosure applies. That law exempts from disclosure specified information relating to elected or appointed officials, and makes specified disclosures of information relating to elected or appointed officials a crime. The law defines "elected or appointed official" for that purpose to include, among other things, a judge or court commissioner, a federal judge or federal defender, and a judge of a federally recognized Indian tribe. This bill would additionally include in the definition of the term "elected or appointed official," a retired judge or court commissioner, an active or retired judge of the State Bar Court, a retired federal judge or federal defender, a retired judge of a federally recognized Indian tribe, and an appointee of a court to serve as children's counsel in a family or dependency proceeding. By expanding a crime related to the unauthorized disclosure of information about elected or appointed officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Approved by the Governor.
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 142, Statutes of 2025.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3024.).
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2520.).
Ordered to special consent calendar.
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1820.)
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (March 4). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From printer. May be heard in committee March 1.
Read first time. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| AB343 | HTML |
| 01/29/25 - Introduced | |
| 07/01/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 09/10/25 - Enrolled | |
| 10/01/25 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 02/27/25- Assembly Judiciary | |
| 04/08/25- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 05/28/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 06/20/25- Senate Judiciary | |
| 07/03/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 08/29/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 09/04/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS |
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