AB 2381: Address confidentiality.

Existing law authorizes reproductive health care service providers, employees, volunteers, and patients to complete an application to be approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of enabling state and local agencies to respond to requests for public records without disclosing a program participants residence address contained in any public record and otherwise provide for confidentiality of identity for that person, subject to specified conditions. Existing law requires an applicant seeking address confidentiality under this program due to their affiliation with a reproductive health care services facility to provide a certified statement signed by a person authorized by the reproductive health care services facility stating that the facility or any of its providers, employees, volunteers, or patients is or was the target of threats or acts of violence within one year of the date of the application. Under existing law, any person who makes a false statement in an application is guilty of a misdemeanor.

This bill would authorize an applicant seeking address confidentiality under this program to submit a certified statement by the employee, patient, or volunteer for a reproductive health care services facility that they have been the target of threats or acts of violence, or a workplace violence restraining order issued because of threats or acts of violence connected with a reproductive health care services facility, as specified, instead of a certified statement from a representative of the reproductive health care services facility.

This bill would also expand the address confidentiality program to include other individuals who face threats of violence or violence from the public because of their work, employment, or volunteer service. The bill would require an individual seeking to make their address confidential under these provisions to complete the application in person at a community-based assistance program designated by the Secretary of State. The bill would require the application process to include a requirement that the applicant meet with a counselor and receive orientation information about the program. By imposing new duties on local public officials and expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.

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 with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.