CaliforniaCalifornia Public Records Act: elected or appointed officials.
What it does
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.
More detail
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.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Oct 1Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 142, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 1Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 15Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 8Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3024.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 343 Pacheco Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 4In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded Special Consent AB343 Pacheco et al. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 4Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2520.).Passed Senate
- Sep 2Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 29Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 29From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).Minor
- Jul 7In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 1From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jun 25From 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.Minor
- Jun 24
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 11Referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Jun 3In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Jun 2Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1820.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 343 Pacheco Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Mar 4From 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.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 10Referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Jan 30From printer. May be heard in committee March 1.
- Jan 29Read first time. To print.Introduced