What Does AB 2624 Actually Do?

There has been a lot written by Assembly Bill (AB) 2624 by Assemblywoman Mia Bonta. Does it prohibit citizen journalists? Does it make reporting fraud a crime? The following is a description of all the provisions of this new law that was recently signed by Governor Newsom:

1. It adds a new Chapter to the Government Code titled “Privacy for Immigration Service Providers.”
2. It contains two legislative findings and declarations about those who provide immigration support services and they have been subjected to harassment and threats for their work.
3. It defines the terms “address,” “designated immigration support services,” “designated immigration support services provider, employee, or volunteer,” “designated immigration support services facility,” “domicile,” “harassment,” “image,” “personal information,” “publicly post,” and “publicly display.”
4. It allows an adult, parent, or guardian living in California to apply to the Secretary of State to have an address designated by the SOS. There are specified requirements for the application process. SOS must approve the application if it contains specified documentation, such as a declaration the person is fearful for their safety or the safety of their family because of their work with an immigration support services facility, and certified statement by the facility that it has been a target of threats or harassment. A fee is assessed by the SOS for processing the application. Filing a false attestation with SOS is misdemeanor.
5. The SOS certification for the person’s address confidentiality is good for four years so long as the person is providing immigration support services. A person can withdraw from the program and the SOS can termination of a person’s certification based on six specified reasons.
6. A certified person can request local and state agencies to use the SOS designated address as their address for public record purposes. They can also register to vote in a confidential manner.
7. The SOS is prohibited from making a program person’s address available except under one of three specified circumstances.
8. The SOS has to provide each program person with a notice that contains four specified items of information.
9. The SOS is required to submit a yearly report to the Legislature with the total number of program participants by county beginning 1/1/30.
10. A person, business, or association is prohibited from knowingly posting the home address of a program participant, spouse, or child on the internet knowing that person is a program participant or family member and specifically intending to incite a third person to cause imminent great bodily harm to those individuals of threatening to cause imminent greate bodily hard to these individuals.
11. A person, business, or association is prohibited from knowingly publicly posting or displaying, disclosing, or distributing on the internet the personal information or image of any designated immigration support services provider, employee, or volunteer or others at that address with the specific intent of inciting a third person to cause imminent great bodily harm to the provider, employee, or volunteer, or threaten the provider, employee, or volunteer in a manner that places the person identified in objectively reasonable fear for their personal safety.
12. The provider, employee, or volunteer whose personal information or image is made public in violation of this law can bring a civil action against the violator and receive civil minimum civil damages of $4,000 as well as court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees.
13. A designated person may make a written demand on a person, business, or association to not publicly post or display, disclose, or distribute on the internet the personal information or image of the program participant. The written demand must include specified information.
14. A person, business, or association who receives a written demand is prohibited from publicly posting or displaying, disclosing, or distributing on the internet the personal information or image of a program participant with the specified intent to incite a third party to cause imminent great bodily harm or threaten the program participant with that harm.
15. If there is a failure to honor the demand, the program participant may bring a civil action for relief.
16. A person, business, or association is prohibited from soliciting, selling, or trading on the internet the personal information or image of the designated immigration support service provider, employee, or volunteer with the specified intent of inciting a third person to cause great bodily harm or threatening a provider, employee, or volunteer to have an objectively reasonable fear for their personal safety.
17. A provider, employee, or volunteer whose personal information or image is solicited, sold, or traded in violation of this law may bring a civil action and be awarded court costs, attorney fees, and a minimum of $4,000 in damages.
18. This new law begins 10/1/27.