State Legislature: nondisclosure agreements.

Assembly Member Patterson's legislation prohibits California legislators from using nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) during the drafting, negotiation, or discussion of proposed legislation, with limited exceptions for protecting trade secrets and proprietary information. The measure voids any legislative NDAs entered after its effective date and establishes criminal penalties for violations under the legislative code of ethics.

The bill creates specific carve-outs allowing NDAs that exclusively protect trade secrets, financial details, or proprietary data. These exceptions apply only to legislators acting in their official capacity. The legislation defines key terms including "discussion" as communications aimed at legislative decision-making, "drafting" as developing bill language, and "negotiation" as communications between parties with opposing interests seeking legislative resolution.

The bill's findings note that while NDAs serve legitimate purposes in private litigation, their use in legislative negotiations impedes government transparency. The findings also reference existing law prohibiting NDAs from concealing workplace misconduct, sexual harassment, or assault. By classifying violations as crimes under the legislative ethics code, the measure creates a state-mandated local program, though no state reimbursement is required for associated costs.