The state is on the one-yard line to pass what’s been called the “Stop Nick Shirley Act”. Today the California Senate passed Assembly Bill 2624 (AB 2624) along party lines with a 30 to 10 vote.
- Assembly Concurrence: Because the Senate made amendments to the bill, it was sent back to the California Assembly for a final vote to approve those changes. Given the party-line vote in the Senate, this seems to be a formality.
- Governor’s Signature: If the Assembly concurs, the bill will advance to Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom for his final signature to officially enact it into law.
Assemblyman Carl DeMaio issued this statement, calling on Newsom to veto it:
“Democrats just voted to make it illegal for citizen investigative journalists to post video evidence of fraud,” said DeMaio. “Instead of fixing waste, fraud, and abuse, they’re trying to punish the people exposing it.”
AB 2624 comes amid the rise of independent journalists like Nick Shirley, whose viral videos have documented fraud and abuse in government-funded programs using on-the-ground reporting.
DeMaio has warned that the bill’s language could be used to force the removal of publicly recorded videos and impose financial penalties on those who publish them. Even worse, the latest version of the bill removes exemptions for journalists under the California Shield Law (Evidence Code – EVID § 1070)
“AB 2624 would allow activists and taxpayer-funded organizations to demand the removal of video evidence — even if it captures misconduct in plain view. That’s not about public safety — it’s about protecting fraudsters and intimidating journalists and citizen watchdogs,” DeMaio noted.
CA Democrats backing the bill claimed they supported 1st Amendment rights of all — but then immediately interrupted DeMaio’s remarks on the Assembly Floor with procedural objections so they could censor his criticism of the bill’s provisions. Ultimately, Democrats silenced DeMaio and prohibited him from using his remaining speaking time on the floor.
“The floor debate on AB2624 exposes just how anti-free speech California Democrats have become — unwilling to allow opponents to even have a chance to criticize their bad laws,” DeMaio added.
“I’m calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to veto this bill because it sends a chilling message: expose corruption, and you could be punished. I will continue leading the fight to defeat AB 2624 to defend transparency and the First Amendment — in the courts if necessary,” DeMaio concluded.
AI aided in compiling this story.
