California’s state Assembly on Tuesday passed AB2624 — dubbed by critics the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” — by a 57-19 vote, sending the measure to the state Senate and one step closer to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
The legislation was introduced less than two months after independent journalist Nick Shirley released a viral investigation into alleged fraud within Minnesota welfare programs.
In the now-viral video, Shirley went door-to-door at taxpayer-funded daycare facilities, questioning adults about whether children were actually present and asking about allegations that public money was being funneled into fraudulent operations.
The video exploded online and became one of the most viewed posts ever on X (see below).
Then in March, Shirley traveled to California to investigate alleged fraud involving taxpayer-funded hospice programs, escalating tensions between independent investigators and Democratic officials already under scrutiny over government spending and oversight failures.
Assembly member Mia Bonta, the wife of California’s attorney general, sponsored AB2624.
The bill outlaws the sharing of photos or personal data of “immigrant service” providers on the internet, if it’s being done as “harassment.”
The bill enhances the state’s Safe At Home program, which has provided privacy protections for 30 years to individuals at risk of domestic violence, stalking, human trafficking, and other forms of abuse.
AB2624 “enables California’s Safe At Home program to include immigrant service providers, their employees and volunteers,” Bonta explained.
“It allows participants to use a substitute address designated by the secretary of state, keeping their home, work and school addresses out of public records, while still allowing them to safely receive mail and legal documents through the state,” Bonta said.
Bonta said employees at immigrant service providers have been doxed and targeted online.
The bill “gives them a critical layer of protection and privacy in an environment where their personal safety is increasingly at risk,” she said.
The bill’s co-sponsor, Democrat Assembly member Christopher M. Ward of San Diego, added on Tuesday that he believes the state “has a responsibility to be able to help protect” people who are “targeted because of who they are or the work they do.”
But critics responded by accusing Democrats of targeting the messenger – Shirley – rather than focus on cleaning up the alleged fraudulent activity throughout the state that he uncovered.
California Republicans also pointed to sections of the legislation that they believe violate speech protected by the First Amendment.
WATCH:
From the bill’s text, Republican Assembly member Carl DeMaio read, “A person shall not publicly post or display on the internet the image of a designated immigrant support services provider.”
“So let me give you an example,” he said.
“Nick Shirley shows up with his camera crew to the Somali Learning Center — or maybe one of the 90 fake hospices operating in a building in Los Angeles that was highlighted by CBS News — shows up doing the work of a citizen watchdog journalist,” DeMaio continued.
“This is something we should promote. We should want an extra set of eyes,” he added.
“People have a right to go out there and kick the tires and find out what these organizations are doing with our taxpayer funds,” DeMaio said.
DeMaio asked his fellow assembly members to vote no.
“I am urging you to uphold the First Amendment and to protect the rights of Nick Shirley and others to do the work that they’ve been doing,” said the GOP lawmaker.
“They’ve been exposing fraud. This is fraud that taxpayers ought to know about,” he said.
