AB-343
Government Operations

California Public Records Act: elected or appointed officials.

Engrossed
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Expands privacy protections for personal information of retired judges and court officials under public records law.
  • Extends disclosure exemptions to court-appointed children's counsel in family proceedings.
  • Prohibits release of residence addresses and phone numbers to prevent harassment of officials.
  • Makes unauthorized disclosure of protected officials' personal information a criminal offense.

Summary

Assembly Member Pacheco's expansion of California's Public Records Act adds several categories of officials whose personal information would be exempt from public disclosure, including retired judges, court commissioners, federal defenders, and court-appointed children's counsel in family proceedings.

The measure modifies existing privacy protections that shield personal details like home addresses and phone numbers of public officials from release under public records requests. According to the bill's findings, these protections aim to prevent harassment and targeted violence against officials and their families. The legislation maintains current criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of protected information while extending these safeguards to the newly covered positions.

Local agencies must implement these expanded privacy protections without state reimbursement, as the changes relate to criminal law modifications that fall outside California's constitutional requirements for state funding of local mandates. The bill's provisions affect how agencies process and respond to public records requests involving personal information of both current and former officials in specified roles.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Judiciary Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Judiciary Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 343 Pacheco Assembly Third Reading
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Do pass
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
James RamosD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 9 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
James RamosD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Blanca PachecoD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Blanca Pacheco
Blanca PachecoD
California State Assembly Member
Co-Author
James Ramos
James RamosD
California State Assembly Member
40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (6/2/2025)

Latest Voting History

July 7, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
6017PASS

Key Takeaways

  • Expands privacy protections for personal information of retired judges and court officials under public records law.
  • Extends disclosure exemptions to court-appointed children's counsel in family proceedings.
  • Prohibits release of residence addresses and phone numbers to prevent harassment of officials.
  • Makes unauthorized disclosure of protected officials' personal information a criminal offense.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Blanca Pacheco
Blanca PachecoD
California State Assembly Member
Co-Author
James Ramos
James RamosD
California State Assembly Member

Summary

Assembly Member Pacheco's expansion of California's Public Records Act adds several categories of officials whose personal information would be exempt from public disclosure, including retired judges, court commissioners, federal defenders, and court-appointed children's counsel in family proceedings.

The measure modifies existing privacy protections that shield personal details like home addresses and phone numbers of public officials from release under public records requests. According to the bill's findings, these protections aim to prevent harassment and targeted violence against officials and their families. The legislation maintains current criminal penalties for unauthorized disclosure of protected information while extending these safeguards to the newly covered positions.

Local agencies must implement these expanded privacy protections without state reimbursement, as the changes relate to criminal law modifications that fall outside California's constitutional requirements for state funding of local mandates. The bill's provisions affect how agencies process and respond to public records requests involving personal information of both current and former officials in specified roles.

40% progression
Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (6/2/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Next Step
Senate Committee
Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
Placed on suspense file
Senate Judiciary Hearing
Senate Committee
Senate Judiciary Hearing
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Vote on Assembly Floor
Assembly Floor
Vote on Assembly Floor
AB 343 Pacheco Assembly Third Reading
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Appropriations Hearing
Do pass
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Assembly Committee
Assembly Judiciary Hearing
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Introduced
Assembly Floor
Introduced
Read first time. To print.

Latest Voting History

July 7, 2025
PASS
Senate Committee
Senate Appropriations Hearing
AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
6017PASS

Contacts

Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
James RamosD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 9 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Anna CaballeroD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Tim GraysonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
James RamosD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Megan DahleR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Kelly SeyartoR
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Blanca PachecoD
Assemblymember
Bill Author
Profile
Aisha WahabD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Christopher CabaldonD
Senator
Committee Member
Profile
Laura RichardsonD
Senator
Committee Member