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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California AB 343

California Public Records Act: elected or appointed officials.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (1)

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires state and local agencies to make their records available for public inspection, unless an exemption from disclosure applies. That law exempts from disclosure specified information relating to elected or appointed officials, and makes specified disclosures of information relating to elected or appointed officials a crime. The law defines "elected or appointed official" for that purpose to include, among other things, a judge or court commissioner, a federal judge or federal defender, and a judge of a federally recognized Indian tribe. This bill would additionally include in the definition of the term "elected or appointed official," a retired judge or court commissioner, an active or retired judge of the State Bar Court, a retired federal judge or federal defender, a retired judge of a federally recognized Indian tribe, and an appointee of a court to serve as children's counsel in a family or dependency proceeding. By expanding a crime related to the unauthorized disclosure of information about elected or appointed officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:04 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Sep 8, 2025
House		AB 343 Pacheco Concurrence in Senate AmendmentspassSet your home in California to see
Sep 4, 2025
Senate		Special Consent AB343 Pacheco et al.passSet your home in California to see
Aug 29, 2025
Senate		Do passpassSet your home in California to see
Jul 7, 2025
Senate		Placed on suspense filepassSet your home in California to see
Jun 24, 2025
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see
Jun 2, 2025
House		AB 343 Pacheco Assembly Third ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
May 23, 2025
House		Do pass.passSet your home in California to see
Mar 4, 2025
House		Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent CalendarpassSet your home in California to see

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