A bill that critics say will stop journalists from reporting on government fraud passed the California Assembly today with votes in favor from Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, and Gina Papan, D-San Mateo.
Assembly Bill 2624, dubbed the Stop Nick Shirley Act for the Youtuber who exposed fraudulent government-funded charities in Minnesota, now goes to the Senate.
State Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, said via text on Tuesday night that he hasn’t read the bill yet because, at that time, it was still over the in Assembly.
The bill’s author, Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, who is married to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, wrote the bill to protect employees of nonprofits who provide services to illegal immigrants.
The bill bans the photography of employees of protected organizations if the cameras make the employee feel threatened. Anyone who posts photos or the personal information of those employees on the internet could be fined a minimum $4,000 per violation.
Nick Shirley and other journalists will sometimes visit the places where they suspect fraud is occurring and try to interview those in charge. This bill stops such visits.
In fact, the bill would allow the immigrant service provider to sue a person or business for posting the images or information.
Shirley is best known for showing up to a daycare center that had a sign saying “Quality Learing (sic) Center.” The operators of the Quality Learing Center have since been federally charged for misappropriating taxpayer dollars, and the center was permanently shut down.
“Under AB 2624, government-funded entities like the Somali ‘Learing’ Daycare centers would be protected from being exposed if they operated inside California,” Shirley wrote on X.
“This is not about protecting people from violence,” said Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego. “This is about threatening and intimidating people who are trying to shine a light on bad behavior.”
“If you have nothing to hide, why fear the transparency?” DeMaio asked.
Mia Bonta’s office said the bill isn’t intended to hinder journalism. Her spokesman, Daniel McGreevy, told KCRA-TV in Sacramento, that the bill is to protect workers facing threats and harassment.
“The bill is not intended to impede journalism, and we’re committed to ensuring that’s clear in the language,” McGreevy said.
The Assembly analysis explains what the bill hopes to stop. “In 2025, following a series of immigration raids, there has been a surge in misinformation and harmful rhetoric disseminated by right-wing media outlets and some elected officials. This has contributed to the spread of false and damaging content on social media, often targeting organizations and individuals working in immigrant services.”
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