Overview
- AB 2624 cleared the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee in an 11–2 vote and now awaits a hearing in the Judiciary Committee.
- The proposal bans posting personal details or photos of designated immigration support workers online when the intent is to threaten them or incite violence, including information about people who share their home.
- The bill sets civil damages at up to three times actual losses with a minimum of $4,000 and adds criminal penalties that can include a $10,000 fine or up to a year in county jail.
- Penalties rise if someone is hurt, with fines up to $50,000 and felony exposure, reflecting a framework similar to protections used for domestic violence survivors.
- Author Mia Bonta says the measure targets doxxing and death threats, not journalism, while Republican Carl DeMaio and YouTuber Nick Shirley argue it would criminalize citizen investigations and could shield taxpayer-funded groups, a clash that has turned the bill into a partisan flashpoint ahead of further votes.