A high-stakes battle over transparency and the First Amendment is heating up in Sacramento. The California Senate passed Assembly Bill 2624 along strict party lines, voting thirty to ten to advance the measure.
Authored by Democratic Assemblymember Mia Bonta, the bill expands the state’s Safe at Home confidentiality program to cover employees and volunteers at nonprofit immigration organizations. It would make it illegal to post photos, videos, or personal identification details of these workers online if done with the intent to threaten or harass them.
However, opponents have branded the legislation the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” named after a conservative YouTuber who went viral for filming government-funded charities. Critics, including Republican lawmakers, argue the law is dangerously broad and will be weaponized to shut down independent watchdogs exposing public fraud. Violators could face steep misdemeanors, including up to ten thousand dollars in fines and potential jail time.
The bill now heads back to the Assembly for a final vote before reaching Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.
