Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires each state or local agency, upon a request for a copy of records that reasonably describes an identifiable record or records, to make the records promptly available to any person upon payment of fees covering direct costs of duplication, or a statutory fee if applicable, except with respect to public records exempt from disclosure by express provisions of law.

Existing law requires each agency, within 10 days of a request for a copy of records, to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person of the determination and the reasons therefor. Existing law authorizes that time limit to be extended by no more than 14 days under unusual circumstances, as defined.

This bill would instead require each agency to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person as described above within 10 business days of a request for a copy of records. The bill would instead authorize the time period for each agency to respond to be extended by no more than 14 business days.

The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

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.

Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires each state or local agency, upon a request for a copy of records that reasonably describes an identifiable record or records, to make the records promptly available to any person upon payment of fees covering direct costs of duplication, or a statutory fee if applicable, except with respect to public records exempt from disclosure by express provisions of law.

Existing law requires each agency, within 10 days of a request for a copy of records, to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person of the determination and the reasons therefor. Existing law authorizes that time limit to be extended by no more than 14 days under unusual circumstances, as defined.

This bill would instead require each agency to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person as described above within 10 business days of a request for a copy of records. The bill would instead authorize the time period for each agency to respond to be extended by no more than 14 business days.

The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

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.

Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires each state or local agency, upon a request for a copy of records that reasonably describes an identifiable record or records, to make the records promptly available to any person upon payment of fees covering direct costs of duplication, or a statutory fee if applicable, except with respect to public records exempt from disclosure by express provisions of law.

Existing law requires each agency, within 10 days of a request for a copy of records, to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person of the determination and the reasons therefor. Existing law authorizes that time limit to be extended by no more than 14 days under unusual circumstances, as defined.

This bill would instead require each agency to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person as described above within 10 business days of a request for a copy of records. The bill would instead authorize the time period for each agency to respond to be extended by no more than 14 business days.

The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

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.

Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires each state or local agency, upon a request for a copy of records that reasonably describes an identifiable record or records, to make the records promptly available to any person upon payment of fees covering direct costs of duplication, or a statutory fee if applicable, except with respect to public records exempt from disclosure by express provisions of law.

Existing law requires each agency, within 10 days of a request for a copy of records, to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person of the determination and the reasons therefor. Existing law authorizes that time limit to be extended by no more than 14 days under unusual circumstances, as defined.

This bill would instead require each agency to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person as described above within 10 business days of a request for a copy of records. The bill would instead authorize the time period for each agency to respond to be extended by no more than 14 business days.

The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

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.

Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires each state or local agency, upon a request for a copy of records that reasonably describes an identifiable record or records, to make the records promptly available to any person upon payment of fees covering direct costs of duplication, or a statutory fee if applicable, except with respect to public records exempt from disclosure by express provisions of law.

Existing law requires each agency, within 10 days of a request for a copy of records, to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person of the determination and the reasons therefor. Existing law authorizes that time limit to be extended by no more than 14 days under unusual circumstances, as defined.

This bill would instead require each agency to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person as described above within 10 business days of a request for a copy of records. The bill would instead authorize the time period for each agency to respond to be extended by no more than 14 business days.

The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

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.

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.

This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to the provision establishing the title of the act.

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 1821

Author:(Pacheco)

As Amended Ver:June 25, 2026

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Extends the deadlines for public agencies to provide an initial response to a public records request, by converting the current "calendar day" deadlines to a "business day" standard.

Major Provisions

1. Requires agencies to determine whether a public record request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person as described above within 10 business days of a request for a copy of records.
2. Provides that an agency's deadline to determine whether a public record request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency may be extended by written notice, in specified unusual circumstances, within no more than 14 business days of the above-mentioned ten-day period.

Senate Amendments

Add amendments that made substantive changes to the California Public Records Act (CPRA) then subsequently remove all of those same provisions, leaving only those amendments previously approved by the Assembly in the bill.

COMMENTS

Existing law requires a public agency to determine whether it has disclosable public records in its possession within ten days of receiving a request from the public for those records or, in specified unusual circumstances, within 14 days. This bill extends those deadlines by specifying that public agencies can provide this response within ten business days, and 14 business days of the ten-day period, in specified unusual circumstances.

Public Access to Public Records. Access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. (Government Code Section 7921.000. All further references are to this code unless otherwise noted.) In 2004, the right of public access was enshrined in the California Constitution with the passage of Proposition 59 (November 3, 2004, statewide general election), placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature. Senate Constitutional Amendment (SCA) 1 (Burton) Chapter 1, Statutes of 2004, amended the California Constitution to specifically protect the right of the public to access and obtain government records: "The people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business, and therefore . . . the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny." (California Constitution, article I, section 3 (b)(1).) In 2014, voters approved Proposition 42 (June 3, 2014, statewide direct primary election), placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature, (SCA 3 (Leno) Chapter 123, Statutes of 2013), to further increase public access to government records by requiring local agencies to comply with the CPRA and the Ralph M. Brown Act, and with any subsequent statutory enactment amending either act, as provided. (California Constitution, article I, section 3 (b)(7).)

Under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of a public agency for inspection by the public, unless exempted. (Section 7922.525.) A public record is defined as any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any public agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. (Section 7920.530.) Despite the CPRA's general rule that public records are open to inspection and subject to disclosure, the CPRA provides exceptions providing that a document, or a portion thereof, is not subject to public disclosure. An exemption can be explicit in the CPRA itself, pursuant to another law, or justified by the agency's determination that, based on the facts of the particular case, the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record. (See Sections 7922.000, 7922.525, 7922.530.)

Currently, the CPRA allows a public agency 10 days or, in specified unusual circumstances, an additional 14 days after the 10-day period to respond to a request for the requested public record. (Section 7922.535 (a) – (c).) In its initial response, an agency does not have to provide the public records being requested, but it must determine whether a given request seeks copies of disclosable records in its possession and notify the requester of its determination and the underlying reasons for its determination. (Ibid.)

This bill extends the deadlines for agencies to provide this initial response by converting the current calendar-day deadlines to a business-day standard. Specifically, an agency would be required to make its determination regarding whether it has disclosable records and notify the requester of its determination and the reasons for that determination, within ten business days of receiving the request. Similarly, agencies would be allowed to extend this deadline by 14 business days of the ten-day period, in specified unusual circumstances.

Under existing law, these deadlines continue to toll without accounting for weekends when most public staff are given leave, reducing the number of working days agencies have to provide their initial response. Because of this dynamic, if an agency receives a request for records on a Friday shortly before the close of business, agency staff are unlikely to be able to begin reviewing and analyzing the request until the following Monday, leaving staff with two fewer working days to provide a response. By acknowledging that most agency staff are likely to review requests on working days only, this bill better aligns the CPRA with the operational realities of most agencies.

According to the Author

The California Public Records Act (CPRA) serves as a tool for transparency and accountability in government. By allowing the public to access records related to official actions and decision-making, the CPRA empowers communities to hold government accountable and helps ensure public institutions remain responsive.

In recent years, public agencies have seen a significant increase in public records requests. As digital communication has expanded, submitting requests – often in high volume – has become easier than ever. Some requests are unusually large or require substantial staff time to fulfill. When a small number of requests consume a disproportionate share of resources, agencies can face challenges keeping up with all requests in a timely manner while still providing essential services.

AB 1821 specifies that processing agencies' response times should be tied to business days rather than calendar days. This small change ensures that agencies' timelines actually align with the hours they work. As a result, agencies may continue to respond to requests in a timely manner without being held to timelines that fall outside of standard business or processing hours.

Arguments in Support

The California State Association of Counties, League of California Cities, California Municipal Clerks Association, Rural County Representatives of California, and Urban Counties of California write in support of this bill. Collectively, they submit:

AB 1821 provides an important and practical clarification to CPRA response timelines. The bill's shift from "calendar days" to "business days" for initial determinations and extensions is a common‑sense update that reflects the operational realities of local agencies. Public agencies generally do not have staff available on weekends or holidays, yet current law continues to toll CPRA deadlines during these periods. A business‑day standard ensures agencies have the full, intended number of working days to conduct thorough and accurate searches for disclosable records.

Under existing law, agencies must determine within 10 days whether a request seeks disclosable records, with a possible 14‑day extension in unusual circumstances. Neither timeframe accounts for weekends or holidays when staff are unavailable. AB 1821 corrects this discrepancy by converting these periods to business days, helping agencies comply with the law more effectively and consistently.

Arguments in Opposition

Disability Rights California states the following in opposition to the bill:

AB 1821's proposed shift from a calendar to a business day timeline would normalize delay and further disadvantage communities that depend on timely access to information. This erodes the value of time‑sensitive information and weakens public oversight. The Legislature has repeatedly recognized that prompt access is essential to democratic accountability, especially in areas like policing, incarceration, and public spending where transparency gaps disproportionately harm marginalized communities. Extending response times would compound existing inequities, making it harder for people to challenge government decisions, participate in civic life, and advocate for justice.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.

VOTES:

ASM JUDICIARY: 8-2-2

YES: Kalra, Bauer-Kahan, Connolly, Harabedian, Pacheco, Papan, Stefani, Zbur

NO: Macedo, Sanchez

ABS, ABST OR NV: Bryan, Dixon

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-2-2

YES: Wicks, Arambula, Caloza, Dixon, Fong, Mark González, Krell, Pacheco, Pellerin, Solache, Tangipa

NO: Hoover, Ta

ABS, ABST OR NV: Calderon, Muratsuchi

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 55-12-13

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Connolly, Dixon, Ellis, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Irwin, Kalra, Krell, Lee, Lowenthal, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Tangipa, Valencia, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

NO: Bains, Davies, DeMaio, Gallagher, Hoover, Johnson, Lackey, Macedo, Patterson, Sanchez, Ta, Wallis

ABS, ABST OR NV: Bennett, Bryan, Castillo, Chen, Elhawary, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Hadwick, Jackson, Ortega, Celeste Rodriguez, Ward

UPDATED

VERSION: June 25, 2026

CONSULTANT: Kristian Wright / JUD. / (916) 319-2334 FN: 0003348

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 1821

Author: Pacheco (D)

Amended: 6/25/26 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: 12-0, 6/30/26

AYES: Umberg, Niello, Allen, Ashby, Caballero, Durazo, Laird, Reyes, Stern, Valladares, Weber Pierson, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Wahab

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 55-12, 5/27/26 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: California Public Records Act: agency response time

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill specifies that the number of days an agency has to make a determination on a request for records of whether the agency is in possession of the requested records and whether they will be disclosed is 10 business days, and that this 10-day period can be extended for specified unusual circumstances for 14 business days.

ANALYSIS: Existing law:

1. Provides, pursuant to the California Constitution, that the people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business, and, therefore, the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies are required to be open to public scrutiny. (California Constitution, art. I, § 3(b)(1).)
   1. Requires a statute to be broadly construed if it furthers the people’s right of access, and narrowly construed if it limits the right of access. (Cal. const. art. I, § 3(b)(1).)
   2. Requires a statute that limits the public’s right of access to be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. (Cal. const. art. I, § 3(b)(1).)
2. Governs the disclosure of information collected and maintained by public agencies pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CPRA). (Government Code §§ 792.000 et seq.)
   1. States that, the Legislature, mindful of the right of individuals to privacy, finds and declares that access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. (Gov. Code § 7921.000.)
   2. Defines “public records” as any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. (Gov. Code § 7920.530.)
   3. Defines “public agency” as any state or local agency. (Gov. Code § 7920.525(a).)
3. Provides that all public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of a state or local agency and every person has a right to inspect any public record, unless the record is exempt from public disclosure. Any reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be available for inspection by any person requesting the record after deletion of the portions that are exempted by law. (Gov. Code § 7922.525.)
   1. Some records are prohibited from being disclosed and other records are permissively exempted from being disclosed. (See e.g. Gov. Code §§ 7920.505 & 7922.200.)
   2. There are several general categories of documents or information that are permissively exempt from disclosure under the CPRA essentially due to the character of the information. The exempt information can be withheld by the public agency with custody of the information, but it also may be disclosed if it is shown that the public’s interest in disclosure outweighs the public’s interest in non-disclosure of the information. (CBS, Inc. v. Block (1986) 42 Cal.3d 646, at 652.).
4. Requires a public agency to make a determination within 10 days of a records request on whether the agency is in possession of the requested records and whether they are disclosable records, either in part or full, including an explanation for the agency’s determination and an estimated date and time the records will be made available. (Gov. Code § 7922.535(a).)
5. Authorizes an agency to extend the response period in 4), above, by 14 days in specified “unusual circumstances.” (Id. at subd. (b)(1)-(6).)

This bill:

1. Specifies that the response period in 4), above, is 10 business days.
2. Specifies that the response period in 5), above, is 14 business days.

Comments

Access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. (Gov. Code § 7921.000.) In 2004, the right of public access was enshrined in the California Constitution with the passage of Proposition 59 (Nov. 3, 2004, statewide general election),^[1] which amended the California Constitution to specifically protect the right of the public to access and obtain government records: “The people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business, and therefore . . . the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny.” (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3 (b)(1).) In 2014, voters approved Proposition 42 (Jun. 3, 2014, statewide direct primary election)^[2] to further increase public access to government records by requiring local agencies to comply with the CPRA and the Ralph M. Brown Act^[3], and with any subsequent statutory enactment amending either act, as provided. (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3 (b)(7).)

Under the CPRA, public records are open to inspection by the public at all times during the office hours of the agency, unless exempted from disclosure. (Gov. Code § 7922.252.) A public record is defined as any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any public agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. (Gov. Code § 7920.530.) The California Supreme Court stated in City of San Jose v. Superior Court ((2017) 2 Cal.5^th 608, at 617):

Given the strong public policy of the people's right to information concerning the people's business [Gov. Code § 7921.000] and the constitutional mandate to construe statutes limiting the right of access narrowly (Cal. Const. art. I, § 3, subd. (b)(2)), all public records are subject to disclosure unless the Legislature has expressly provided to the contrary.

The courts have also held that the CPRA “was enacted for the purpose of increasing freedom of information by giving members of the public access to information in the possession of public agencies.” (Filarsky v. Superior Court (2002) 28 Cal.4th 419, at 425.)

The CPRA requires a public agency to make a determination within 10 days of a records request on whether the agency is in possession of the requested records and whether they are disclosable records, either in part or full, including an explanation for the agency’s determination and an estimated date and time the records will be made available. (Gov. Code § 7922.535(a).) The CPRA allows an agency to extend that response period by 14 days in specified “unusual circumstances.” (Id. at subd. (b).) These “unusual circumstances” are: (1) needing to search for and collect the requested records from facilities that are separate from the office processing the request; (2) needing to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records that are demanded in a single request; (3) needing to consult with another agency having substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of the agency having substantial subject matter interest therein; (4) needing to compile data, to write programming language or a computer program, or to construct a computer report to extract data; (5) when the agency is unable to access its electronic servers or systems, due to a cyberattack, in order to search for and obtain a record that the agency believes is responsive to a request and is maintained on the servers or systems in an electronic format; or (6) when needed to search for, collect, and appropriately examine records during a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor in the jurisdiction where the agency is located. (Id. at subd. (b)(1)-(6).)

This bill provides that the number of days an agency has to respond as described above, is 10 business days and for unusual circumstances, an additional 14 business days to respond. Proponents argue that a business-day standard ensures agencies have the full intended amount of working days to prepare initial responses to record requests. Some opponents contend that the current calendar-day deadlines do not present an undue burden to agencies, and any further extensions will slow down a process that many advocates argue is already severely delayed.

Widespread reports of burdensome delays in accessing public records has been a problem reported to the Committee by advocates for many years. Unnecessary delays undermine the important public policy goals of transparency and accountability that the CPRA promotes to ensure a robust and healthy democracy. However, specifying that the response time is business days recognizes that most agencies are not open on weekends and holidays and provides breathing room to agencies in managing their day-to-day operations.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/4/26)

Alameda County Office of Education

Association of California School Administrators

California Association of Recreation & Park Districts

California Association of School Business Officials

California Clerk of the Board of Supervisors Association

California Municipal Clerks Association

California Special Districts Association

California State Association of Counties

City of Bakersfield

City of Bellflower

City of Buena Park

City of Canyon Lake

City of Capitola

City of Carlsbad

City of Cloverdale

City of Concord

City of Corona

City of Coronado

City of Cupertino

City of El Cajon

City of El Cerrito

City of Fontana

City of Foster City

City of Grass Valley

City of Hesperia

City of Los Alamitos

City of Modesto

City of Monterey Park

City of Moorpark

City of Mountain View

City of Needles

City of Norwalk

City of Oakland

City of Oxnard

City of Paramount

City of Pico Rivera

City of Rancho Cucamonga

City of Redding

City of Riverside

City of Rohnert Park

City of Rolling Hills

City of Rolling Hills Estates

City of San Jose

City of Santa Monica

City of Scotts Valley

City of St. Helena

City of Sunnyvale

City of Thousand Oaks

City of Tulare

City of Vacaville

City of Woodland

Coachella Valley Water District

County of Fresno

County of Inyo

County of Kern

County of Mendocino

County of Monterey

County of Napa

County of Riverside

County of Solano

CPRA Processors Working Group

Dublin San Ramon Services District

League of California Cities

Los Angeles Unified School District

Mckinleyville Community Service District

Orange County Council of Governments

Orange County Fire Authority

Rural County Representatives of California s

San Bernardino County

Shasta County Board of Supervisors

Town of Hillsborough

Urban Counties of California

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/4/26)

Adu Rights.org

Alliance for Boys and Men of Color

Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action

American Friends Service Committee

Anti Police-terror Project

Association of Alternative Newsmedia Publishers

Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, California

Black Lives Matter California

CAIR California

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform

California Coalition for Sheriff Oversight

California Faculty Association

California League of United Latin American Citizens

California News Publishers Association

California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation

Californians for Pesticide Reform

Cancel the Contract

Care First California

Center for Juvenile Law and Policy, Loyola Law School

Center for Policing Equity

Check the Sheriff

Child Care Law Center

Cleanearth4kids.org

Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)

Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto

Courage California

Dignity and Power Now

Disability Rights California

Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF)

East Bay Sanctuary Covenant

Environmental Working Group

Family Violence Appellate Project

Fight for the Future

Friends of the Eel River

Gente Organizada

Humboldt Waterkeeper

In Our Care San Mateo County

Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice

Justice Teams Network

Justice2jobs Coalition

LA Defensa

LA Voice

Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

Local 148 Los Angeles County Public Defender's Union

Los Angeles Community Action Network

Los Angeles Press Club

Mexican-american Legal Defense and Ed Fund [maldef]

National Housing Law Project

National Lawyers Guild - Los Angeles (NLG-LA)

Orale: Organizing Rooted in Abolition Liberation and Empowerment

Orange County Rapid Response Network

Parents Against Child Sexual Abuse

Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans

Pillars of the Community

Public Counsel

Public Interest Law Project

Reform Whittier

San Diego Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists

Saving Lives in Custody California

Secure Justice

Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN)

Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition

Starting Over Strong

Stop Lapd Spying Coalition

Surfrider Foundation

The Ark

The Black Alliance for Just Immigration

The Daily Californian

The Wage Justice Center

Transparent California

Trial Impact Project

Unite Here Local 11

University of Florida, College of Journalism and Communications

University of San Francisco Racial Justice Clinic

Western Electrical Contractors Association

Youth Justice Coalition (note - There Is No Drop Down List Available.)

Youth Law Center (UNREG)

18 individuals

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: The author writes:

The California Public Records Act (CPRA) serves as a tool for transparency and accountability in government. By allowing the public to access records related to official actions and decision-making, the CPRA empowers communities to hold government accountable and helps ensure public institutions remain responsive.

In recent years, public agencies have seen a significant increase in public records requests. As digital communication has expanded, submitting requests – often in high volume – has become easier than ever. Some requests are unusually large or require substantial staff time to fulfill. When a small number of requests consume a disproportionate share of resources, agencies can face challenges keeping up with all requests in a timely manner while still providing essential services.

AB 1821 specifies that processing agencies' response times should be tied to business days rather than calendar days. This small change ensures that agencies' timelines actually align with the hours they work. As a result, agencies may continue to respond to requests in a timely manner without being held to timelines that fall outside of standard business or processing hours.

The California Special Districts Association writes:

[…] Under current law, requests made pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CPRA) require that a public agency, within 10 days from receipt of the request, determine whether the request, in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records in the possession of the agency. In unusual circumstances, an agency is permitted to extend that time, but they remain prohibited from specifying a date that would result in an extension for more than 14 days. Neither of these timeframes account for the fact that public agencies generally grant staff weekends and holidays off; during those periods, the time an agency has remaining to respond to a CPRA request continues tolling, notwithstanding the fact that there are no staff members available to be responsive to a request or search for records. AB 1821 would rectify this discrepancy by providing that the 10-day and 14-day periods referenced above span business days rather than calendar days, thereby solving the issue encountered when weekends and holidays fall within the timeframe of a CPRA request. […]

ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION: Disability Rights California writes in opposition, stating:

AB 1821’s proposed shift from a calendar to a business day timeline would normalize delay and further disadvantage communities that depend on timely access to information. This erodes the value of time‑sensitive information and weakens public oversight. The Legislature has repeatedly recognized that prompt access is essential to democratic accountability, especially in areas like policing, incarceration, and public spending where transparency gaps disproportionately harm marginalized communities. Extending response times would compound existing inequities, making it harder for people to challenge government decisions, participate in civic life, and advocate for justice.

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 55-12, 5/27/26

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Connolly, Dixon, Ellis, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Irwin, Kalra, Krell, Lee, Lowenthal, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Tangipa, Valencia, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

NOES: Bains, Davies, DeMaio, Gallagher, Hoover, Johnson, Lackey, Macedo, Patterson, Sanchez, Ta, Wallis

NO VOTE RECORDED: Bennett, Bryan, Castillo, Chen, Elhawary, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Hadwick, Jackson, Ortega, Celeste Rodriguez, Ward

Prepared by: Amanda Mattson / JUD. / (916) 651-4113

8/5/26 15:04:20

**** END ****

1. Prop. 59 was placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature. (SCA 1 (Burton, Ch. 1, Stats. 2004)). ↑

2. Prop. 42 was placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature. (SCA 3 (Leno, Ch. 123, Stats. 2013)). ↑

3. The Ralph M. Brown Act is the open meetings laws that applies to local agencies. (Gov. Code §§ 59450 et. seq.) ↑

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Senator Thomas Umberg, Chair

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill No: AB 1821 (Author:Pacheco)

Version: June 25, 2026

Hearing Date: June 30, 2026

Fiscal: Yes

Urgency: No

Consultant: AM

SUBJECT

California Public Records Act: agency response time

DIGEST

This bill specifies that the number of days an agency has to make a determination on a request for records of whether the agency is in possession of the requested records and whether they will be disclosed is 10 business days, and that this 10-day period can be extended for specified unusual circumstances for 14 business days.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The California Public Records Act (CPRA) makes all public records of a public agency open to public inspection upon request and grants the public the right to obtain a copy of any public record, unless the records are otherwise exempt from public disclosure. Under the CPRA, a public agency is required to make a determination within 10 days of a records request on whether the agency is in possession of the requested records and whether those records are disclosable. The agency must also provide an estimated date and time the requested records will be made available to the requester. An agency may extend that 10-day response period by an additional 14 days in specified “unusual circumstances.”

The bill is author-sponsored. The bill is supported by numerous local governments and associations representing governments. A prior version of this bill was opposed by numerous organizations that advocate for open and transparent government, journalists, legal advocates, immigrant rights groups, police accountability advocates, environmental advocacy organizations, and other advocacy organizations. However, on June 25, 2026, the author took amendments to the bill which pares it back substantially. A lot of the prior opposition has moved to neutral as a result of these amendments. It is unclear if the remaining opposition’s concerns are fully addressed by the amendments.

PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE LAW

Existing law:

1. Provides, pursuant to the California Constitution, that the people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business, and, therefore, the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies are required to be open to public scrutiny. (Cal. const. art. I, § 3(b)(1).)
   1. Requires a statute to be broadly construed if it furthers the people’s right of access, and narrowly construed if it limits the right of access. (Cal. const. art. I, § 3(b)(1).)
   2. Requires a statute that limits the public’s right of access to be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. (Cal. const. art. I, § 3(b)(1).)
2. Governs the disclosure of information collected and maintained by public agencies pursuant to the CPRA. (Gov. Code §§ 792.000 et seq.)
   1. States that, the Legislature, mindful of the right of individuals to privacy, finds and declares that access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. (Gov. Code § 7921.000.)
   2. Defines “public records” as any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. (Gov. Code § 7920.530.)
   3. Defines “public agency” as any state or local agency. (Gov. Code § 7920.525(a).)
3. Provides that all public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of a state or local agency and every person has a right to inspect any public record, unless the record is exempt from public disclosure. Any reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be available for inspection by any person requesting the record after deletion of the portions that are exempted by law. (Gov. Code § 7922.525.)
   1. Some records are prohibited from being disclosed and other records are permissively exempted from being disclosed. (See e.g. Gov. Code §§ 7920.505 & 7922.200.)
   2. There are several general categories of documents or information that are permissively exempt from disclosure under the CPRA essentially due to the character of the information. The exempt information can be withheld by the public agency with custody of the information, but it also may be disclosed if it is shown that the public’s interest in disclosure outweighs the public’s interest in non-disclosure of the information. (CBS, Inc. v. Block (1986) 42 Cal.3d 646, at 652.).
4. Requires a public agency to make a determination within 10 days of a records request on whether the agency is in possession of the requested records and whether they are disclosable records, either in part or full, including an explanation for the agency’s determination and an estimated date and time the records will be made available. (Gov. Code § 7922.535(a).)
5. Authorizes an agency to extend the response period in 4), above, by 14 days in specified “unusual circumstances.”
   1. These “unusual circumstances” are:
      1. needing to search for and collect the requested records from facilities that are separate from the office processing the request;
      2. needing to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records that are demanded in a single request;
      3. needing to consult with another agency having substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of the agency having substantial subject matter interest therein;
      4. needing to compile data, to write programming language or a computer program, or to construct a computer report to extract data;
      5. when the agency is unable to access its electronic servers or systems, due to a cyberattack, in order to search for and obtain a record that the agency believes is responsive to a request and is maintained on the servers or systems in an electronic format; and
      6. when needed to search for, collect, and appropriately examine records during a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor in the jurisdiction where the agency is located. (Id. at subd. (b)(1)-(6).)

This bill:

1. Specifies that the response period in 4), above, is 10 business days.
2. Specifies that the response period in 5), above, is 14 business days.

COMMENTS

1. Stated need for the bill

The author writes:

The California Public Records Act (CPRA) serves as a tool for transparency and accountability in government. By allowing the public to access records related to official actions and decision-making, the CPRA empowers communities to hold government accountable and helps ensure public institutions remain responsive.

In recent years, public agencies have seen a significant increase in public records requests. As digital communication has expanded, submitting requests – often in high volume – has become easier than ever. Some requests are unusually large or require substantial staff time to fulfill. When a small number of requests consume a disproportionate share of resources, agencies can face challenges keeping up with all requests in a timely manner while still providing essential services.

AB 1821 specifies that processing agencies' response times should be tied to business days rather than calendar days. This small change ensures that agencies' timelines actually align with the hours they work. As a result, agencies may continue to respond to requests in a timely manner without being held to timelines that fall outside of standard business or processing hours.

1. Access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and constitutional right of every person in this state

Access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. (Gov. Code § 7921.000.) In 2004, the right of public access was enshrined in the California Constitution with the passage of Proposition 59 (Nov. 3, 2004, statewide general election),^[1] which amended the California Constitution to specifically protect the right of the public to access and obtain government records: “The people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business, and therefore . . . the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny.” (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3 (b)(1).) In 2014, voters approved Proposition 42 (Jun. 3, 2014, statewide direct primary election)^[2] to further increase public access to government records by requiring local agencies to comply with the CPRA and the Ralph M. Brown Act^[3], and with any subsequent statutory enactment amending either act, as provided. (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3 (b)(7).)

Under the CPRA, public records are open to inspection by the public at all times during the office hours of the agency, unless exempted from disclosure. (Gov. Code § 7922.252.) A public record is defined as any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any public agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. (Gov. Code § 7920.530.) The California Supreme Court stated in City of San Jose v. Superior Court ((2017) 2 Cal.5^th 608, at 617):

Given the strong public policy of the people's right to information concerning the people's business [Gov. Code § 7921.000] and the constitutional mandate to construe statutes limiting the right of access narrowly (Cal. Const. art. I, § 3, subd. (b)(2)), all public records are subject to disclosure unless the Legislature has expressly provided to the contrary.

The courts have also held that the CPRA “was enacted for the purpose of increasing freedom of information by giving members of the public access to information in the possession of public agencies.” (Filarsky v. Superior Court (2002) 28 Cal.4th 419, at 425.)

The CPRA requires a public agency to make a determination within 10 days of a records request on whether the agency is in possession of the requested records and whether they are disclosable records, either in part or full, including an explanation for the agency’s determination and an estimated date and time the records will be made available. (Gov. Code § 7922.535(a).) The CPRA allows an agency to extend that response period by 14 days in specified “unusual circumstances.” (Id. at subd. (b).) These “unusual circumstances” are: (1) needing to search for and collect the requested records from facilities that are separate from the office processing the request; (2) needing to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records that are demanded in a single request; (3) needing to consult with another agency having substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of the agency having substantial subject matter interest therein; (4) needing to compile data, to write programming language or a computer program, or to construct a computer report to extract data; (5) when the agency is unable to access its electronic servers or systems, due to a cyberattack, in order to search for and obtain a record that the agency believes is responsive to a request and is maintained on the servers or systems in an electronic format; or (6) when needed to search for, collect, and appropriately examine records during a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor in the jurisdiction where the agency is located. (Id. at subd. (b)(1)-(6).)

This bill provides that the number of days an agency has to respond as described above, is 10 business days and for unusual circumstances, an additional 14 business days to respond. Proponents argue that a business-day standard ensures agencies have the full intended amount of working days to prepare initial responses to record requests. Some opponents contend that the current calendar-day deadlines do not present an undue burden to agencies, and any further extensions will slow down a process that many advocates argue is already severely delayed.

Widespread reports of burdensome delays in accessing public records has been a problem reported to the Committee by advocates for many years. Unnecessary delays undermine the important public policy goals of transparency and accountability that the CPRA promotes to ensure a robust and healthy democracy. However, specifying that the response time is business days recognizes that most agencies are not open on weekends and holidays and provides a modicum of breathing room to agencies in managing their day-to-day operations.

1. Stakeholder statements

The California Special Districts Association writes:

[…] Under current law, requests made pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CPRA) require that a public agency, within 10 days from receipt of the request, determine whether the request, in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records in the possession of the agency. In unusual circumstances, an agency is permitted to extend that time, but they remain prohibited from specifying a date that would result in an extension for more than 14 days. Neither of these timeframes account for the fact that public agencies generally grant staff weekends and holidays off; during those periods, the time an agency has remaining to respond to a CPRA request continues tolling, notwithstanding the fact that there are no staff members available to be responsive to a request or search for records. AB 1821 would rectify this discrepancy by providing that the 10-day and 14-day periods referenced above span business days rather than calendar days, thereby solving the issue encountered when weekends and holidays fall within the timeframe of a CPRA request. […]

Disability Rights California writes in opposition, stating:

AB 1821’s proposed shift from a calendar to a business day timeline would normalize delay and further disadvantage communities that depend on timely access to information. This erodes the value of time‑sensitive information and weakens public oversight. The Legislature has repeatedly recognized that prompt access is essential to democratic accountability, especially in areas like policing, incarceration, and public spending where transparency gaps disproportionately harm marginalized communities. Extending response times would compound existing inequities, making it harder for people to challenge government decisions, participate in civic life, and advocate for justice.

SUPPORT

Alameda County Office of Education

California Association of Recreation & Park Districts

California Association of School Business Officials

California Municipal Clerks Association

California Special Districts Association

City of Bakersfield

City of Bellflower

City of Buena Park

City of Canyon Lake

City of Carlsbad

City of Concord

City of Corona

City of Eastvale

City of El Cerrito

City of Fontana

City of Grass Valley

City of Hesperia

City of Los Alamitos

City of Monterey Park

City of Norwalk

City of Rancho Cucamonga

City of Redding

City of Riverside

City of Rohnert Park

City of San Bernardino

City of Scotts Valley

City of St. Helena

City of Sunnyvale

City of Thousand Oaks

City of Vacaville

City of Woodland

County of Inyo

County of Mendocino

County of Monterey

County of Riverside

Los Angeles Unified School District

McKinleyville Community Service District

OPPOSITION

ADU Rights.org

Alliance for Boys and Men of Color

Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action

American Friends Service Committee

Anti Police-terror Project

Association of Alternative Newsmedia Publishers

Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, California

Black Lives Matter California

CAIR California

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform

California Coalition for Sheriff Oversight

California Faculty Association

California League of United Latin American Citizens

California News Publishers Association

California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation

Californians for Pesticide Reform

Cancel the Contract

Carceral Ecologies

Care First California

Center for Juvenile Law and Policy, Loyola Law School

Center for Policing Equity

Check the Sheriff

Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice

Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto

Courage California

Dignity and Power Now

Disability Rights California

Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund

East Bay Sanctuary Covenant

Environmental Working Group

Family Violence Appellate Project

Fight for the Future

Friends Committee on Legislation of California

Friends of the Eel River

Gente Organizada

Get the Flock Out - Santa Cruz County

Humboldt Waterkeeper

In Our Care San Mateo County

Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice

Justice Teams Network

Justice2jobs Coalition

LA Defensa

LA Voice

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

Legal Aid Association of California

Local 148 Los Angeles County Public Defender's Union

Los Angeles Community Action Network

Los Angeles Press Club

Mexican-American Legal Defense and Ed Fund (MALDEF)

National Housing Law Project

National Lawyers Guild - Los Angeles (NLG-LA)

ORALE: Organizing Rooted in Abolition Liberation and Empowerment

Orange County Rapid Response Network

Parents Against Child Sexual Abuse

Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans

Pillars of the Community

Public Counsel

Public Interest Law Project

San Diego Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists

Saving Lives in Custody California

Secure Justice

Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN)

Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition

Starting Over Strong

Stop LAPD Spying Coalition

Surfrider Foundation

The Ark

The Black Alliance for Just Immigration

The Daily Californian

The Impact Fund

The San Benito Blueprint

The Wage Justice Center

Transparent California

Trial Impact Project

Unite Here Local 11

University of Florida, College of Journalism and Communications

University of San Francisco Racial Justice Clinic

Youth Justice Coalition

Youth Law Center

RELATED LEGISLATION

Pending Legislation: None known.

Prior Legislation: AB 370 (Carillo, Ch. 34, Stats. 2025) added an additional unusual circumstance under which the initial response time to a public records request may be extended by an agency for an additional 14 days to include the inability of the agency, because of a cyberattack, to access its electronic servers or systems in order to search for and obtain a record that the agency believes is responsive to a request and is maintained on the servers or systems in an electronic format.

PRIOR VOTES

Assembly Floor (Ayes 55, Noes 12)

Assembly Appropriations Committee (Ayes 11, Noes 2)

Assembly Judiciary Committee (Ayes 8, Noes 2)

**************

1. Prop. 59 was placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature. (SCA 1 (Burton, Ch. 1, Stats. 2004)). ↑

2. Prop. 42 was placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature. (SCA 3 (Leno, Ch. 123, Stats. 2013)). ↑

3. The Ralph M. Brown Act is the open meetings laws that applies to local agencies. (Gov. Code §§ 59450 et. seq.) ↑

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1821

Author:(Pacheco)

As Amended Ver:April 6, 2026

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Extends the deadlines for public agencies to provide an initial response to a public records request, by converting the current "calendar day" deadlines to a "business day" standard.

Major Provisions

1. Requires agencies to determine whether a public record request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person as described above within 10 business days of a request for a copy of records.
2. Provides that an agency's deadline to determine whether a public record request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency may be extended by written notice, in specified unusual circumstances, within no more than 14 business days of the above-mentioned ten-day period.

COMMENTS

Existing law requires a public agency to determine whether it has disclosable public records in its possession within ten days of receiving a request from the public for those records or, in specified unusual circumstances, within 14 days. This bill extends those deadlines by specifying that public agencies can provide this response within ten business days, and 14 business days of the ten-day period, in specified unusual circumstances.

Public Access to Public Records. Access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. (Government Code Section 7921.000. All further references are to this code unless otherwise noted.) In 2004, the right of public access was enshrined in the California Constitution with the passage of Proposition 59 (Nov. 3, 2004, statewide general election), placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature. SCA 1 (Burton) Chapter 1, Statutes of 2004, amended the California Constitution to specifically protect the right of the public to access and obtain government records: "The people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business, and therefore . . . the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny." (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3 (b)(1).) In 2014, voters approved Proposition 42 (Jun. 3, 2014, statewide direct primary election), placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature, (SCA 3 (Leno) Chapter 123, Statutes of 2013), to further increase public access to government records by requiring local agencies to comply with the CPRA and the Ralph M. Brown Act, and with any subsequent statutory enactment amending either act, as provided. (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3 (b)(7).)

Under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of a public agency for inspection by the public, unless exempted. (Section 7922.525.) A public record is defined as any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any public agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. (Section 7920.530.) Despite the CPRA's general rule that public records are open to inspection and subject to disclosure, the CPRA provides exceptions providing that a document, or a portion thereof, is not subject to public disclosure. An exemption can be explicit in the CPRA itself, pursuant to another law, or justified by the agency's determination that, based on the facts of the particular case, the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record. (See Sections 7922.000, 7922.525, 7922.530.)

Currently, the CPRA allows a public agency 10 days or, in specified unusual circumstances, an additional 14 days after the 10-day period to respond to a request for the requested public record. (Section 7922.535 (a) – (c).) In its initial response, an agency does not have to provide the public records being requested, but it must determine whether a given request seeks copies of disclosable records in its possession and notify the requester of its determination and the underlying reasons for its determination. (Ibid.)

This bill extends the deadlines for agencies to provide this initial response by converting the current calendar-day deadlines to a business-day standard. Specifically, an agency would be required to make its determination regarding whether it has disclosable records and notify the requester of its determination and the reasons for that determination, within ten business days of receiving the request. Similarly, agencies would be allowed to extend this deadline by 14 business days of the ten-day period, in specified unusual circumstances.

Under existing law, these deadlines continue to toll without accounting for weekends when most public staff are given leave, reducing the number of working days agencies have to provide their initial response. Because of this dynamic, if an agency receives a request for records on a Friday shortly before the close of business, agency staff are unlikely to be able to begin reviewing and analyzing the request until the following Monday, leaving staff with two fewer working days to provide a response. By acknowledging that most agency staff are likely to review requests on working days only, this bill better aligns the CPRA with the operational realities of most agencies.

Despite recent amendments, opponents contend that this bill would permit agencies to further delay responding to Public Records Requests. This bill is opposed by a coalition of journalists and government watchdogs. Despite recent amendments that dramatically narrowed the scope of the bill, the opponents contend that the current calendar-day deadlines do not present an undue burden to agencies and further extensions slow a process that is already severely delayed without consequence. However, it appears that many of these concerns are rooted in the provision of existing law, and local agencies’ reluctance to comply with the law in good faith.

The Judiciary Committee concedes that widespread delays in complying with Public Record Act requests are a valid problem. However, recognizing that weekends exist and that many local agencies do not have the budgetary flexibility to pay overtime to handle public records requests, the extensions provided for in this bill are modest and reflect the current day-to-day operations of agencies, which must continually provide a wide variety of other essential services to the public.

According to the Author

The California Public Records Act (CPRA) serves as a tool for transparency and accountability in government. By allowing the public to access records related to official actions and decision-making, the CPRA empowers communities to hold government accountable and helps ensure public institutions remain responsive.

In recent years, public agencies have seen a significant increase in public records requests. As digital communication has expanded, submitting requests – often in high volume – has become easier than ever. Some requests are unusually large or require substantial staff time to fulfill. When a small number of requests consume a disproportionate share of resources, agencies can face challenges keeping up with all requests in a timely manner while still providing essential services.

AB 1821 specifies that processing agencies' response times should be tied to business days rather than calendar days. This small change ensures that agencies' timelines actually align with the hours they work. As a result, agencies may continue to respond to requests in a timely manner without being held to timelines that fall outside of standard business or processing hours.

Arguments in Support

The California State Association of Counties, League of California Cities, California Municipal Clerks Association, Rural County Representatives of California, and Urban Counties of California write in support of this bill. Collectively, they submit:

AB 1821 provides an important and practical clarification to CPRA response timelines. The bill's shift from "calendar days" to "business days" for initial determinations and extensions is a common‑sense update that reflects the operational realities of local agencies. Public agencies generally do not have staff available on weekends or holidays, yet current law continues to toll CPRA deadlines during these periods. A business‑day standard ensures agencies have the full, intended number of working days to conduct thorough and accurate searches for disclosable records.

Under existing law, agencies must determine within 10 days whether a request seeks disclosable records, with a possible 14‑day extension in unusual circumstances. Neither timeframe accounts for weekends or holidays when staff are unavailable. AB 1821 corrects this discrepancy by converting these periods to business days, helping agencies comply with the law more effectively and consistently.

Arguments in Opposition

A coalition of organizations, including the First Amendment Coalition, ACLU California Action, Oakland Privacy, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, California News Publishers Association, Buen Vecino, and the National Housing Law Project in opposition to the bill state:

AB 1821, as amended, would give all agencies covered by the act more time — 10 business days instead of calendar days — to provide an initial threshold response to a records request. That response need only state whether the agency is in possession of disclosable records and an estimated date of production. Agencies can already extend that response by up to 14 days in specified unusual circumstances. AB 1821 would similarly convert that extension to 14 business days.

This existing 10-or-24-calendar-day timeline does not pose an undue burden on agencies. Converting these periods to business days would often, however, allow agencies to take well over a month simply to inform a requester whether responsive records exist. For example, a request submitted on a Thursday evening or Friday morning would effectively gain four additional days across two weekends. And when agencies invoke the 14-day extension — as they often do — the initial response could stretch to 34 days from the date of the request, even without holidays. This delay is especially untenable for time-sensitive records, where the value of the information diminishes quickly and timely oversight depends on prompt confirmation that records exist.

The current timeline reflects the Legislature’s recognition that agencies should be able to make this basic determination quickly. Extending the time to provide that routine response would normalize delay at the very outset of the request process, postponing accountability before the public even knows whether records are in the agency’s possession. These early delays also compound downstream: requesters cannot effectively narrow requests, challenge improper withholdings, or plan for oversight when agencies are permitted to take longer simply to acknowledge whether responsive records exist.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, no known state impact. To the extent the bill reduces overtime costs or litigation exposure associated with missed deadlines, savings would accrue to affected state agencies (various funds) and are likely minor and not quantifiable.

VOTES

ASM JUDICIARY: 8-2-2

YES: Kalra, Bauer-Kahan, Connolly, Harabedian, Pacheco, Papan, Stefani, Zbur

NO: Macedo, Sanchez

ABS, ABST OR NV: Bryan, Dixon

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-2-2

YES: Wicks, Arambula, Caloza, Dixon, Fong, Mark González, Krell, Pacheco, Pellerin, Solache, Tangipa

NO: Hoover, Ta

ABS, ABST OR NV: Calderon, Muratsuchi

UPDATED

VERSION: April 6, 2026

CONSULTANT: Kristian Wright / JUD. / (916) 319-2334 FN: 0002405

Date of Hearing: April 22, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1821

Author:(Pacheco) – As Amended Ver:April 6, 2026

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill converts the California Public Records Act’s (CPRA) 10-day and 14-day response deadlines from calendar days to business days.

FISCAL EFFECT:

No known state impact. To the extent the bill reduces overtime costs or litigation exposure associated with missed deadlines, savings would accrue to affected state agencies (various funds) and are likely minor and not quantifiable.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. As explained by the author:

In recent years, public agencies have seen a significant increase in public records requests. As digital communication has expanded, submitting requests – often in high volume – has become easier than ever. Some requests are unusually large or require substantial staff time to fulfill. When a small number of requests consume a disproportionate share of resources, agencies can face challenges keeping up with all requests in a timely manner while still providing essential services.

AB 1821 specifies that processing agencies' response times should be tied to business days rather than calendar days. This small change ensures that agencies' timelines actually align with the hours they work. As a result, agencies may continue to respond to requests in a timely manner without being held to timelines that fall outside of standard business or processing hours.

1. Background. The right of public access to government records is enshrined in the California Constitution. The California Public Records Act provides that public records are open to inspection during office hours of a public agency, unless exempted. Under existing law, upon receiving a request for public records, an agency must determine within 10 calendar days whether the request seeks copies of disclosable records in its possession and promptly notify the requester of its determination. In unusual circumstances — such as the need to search field facilities, examine voluminous records, consult with other agencies, or compile data — an agency may extend this deadline by up to 14 additional calendar days.

Under the current calendar-day standard, weekend and holidays continue to toll against the agency’s response deadline, even though most staff responsible for responding to the request are not working. A request received late on a Friday, for example, effectively reduces the agency’s response deadline from 10 days to eight days. This bill addresses this discrepancy by converting both the 10-day and 14-day calendar day deadlines to business day deadlines.

1. Support and Opposition. This author-sponsored bill is supported by several cities and organizations that represent public agencies, who argue that the change from calendar to business days will help agencies comply with CPRA more effectively and consistently, especially as the number and scope of requests continue to grow. The opposition to this bill spans the political spectrum, including the First Amendment Coalition, ACLU California Action, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, government accountability groups, and others. They argue that the existing timeline does not present an undue burden, and that extending initial-response deadlines undermines the intent of the CPRA, and compounds downstream delays.

Analysis Prepared by: Shiran Zohar / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 14, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Ash Kalra, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1821

Author:(Pacheco) – As Amended Ver:April 6, 2026

SUBJECT: California Public Records Act: agency response time

KEY ISSUE: Should the legislature provide public agencies with a modest extension to the deadlines for an agency’s Initial response to public records requests?

SYNOPSIS

Under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of a public agency, unless exempted. Existing law requires a public agency to determine whether it has disclosable public records within ten calendar days of receiving a request from the public for those records or, in specified unusual circumstances, within 14 calendar days. Currently, these deadlines continue to run over the weekend, despite Saturday and Sunday being non-working days for most public agencies. To align the CPRA’s existing deadlines for initial responses to record requests with the operational realities of public agencies, this bill requires agencies to provide these responses within a specified amount of business days, instead of the current calendar-day standard.

This author-sponsored bill is supported by a number of cities, and organizations that represent public agencies. In support of the bill, these groups contend that the bill’s business-day standard ensures agencies have the full intended amount of working days to prepare initial responses to record requests. This bill is opposed by First Amendment advocacy groups, representatives of news media organizations, and various civil rights organizations. These groups argue that the timelines for responses to record requests in existing law do not present an undue burden to public agencies and existing law’s current provisions permitting some extensions to the above described timeline normalize delays at the outset of the request process.

SUMMARY: Extends the deadlines for public agencies to provide an initial response to a public records request, by converting the current “calendar day” deadlines to a “business day” standard. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires agencies to determine whether a public record request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person as described above within 10 business days of a request for a copy of records.
2. Provides that an agency’s deadline to determine whether a public record request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency may be extended by written notice, in specified unusual circumstances, within no more than 14 business days of the above-mentioned ten-day period.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Provides that the people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business and, therefore, the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny. Specifies that any law or rule that limits the public right of access shall be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation. (California Constitution, art. I, Section 3.)
2. Provides that, in enacting the California Public Records Act (CPRA), the Legislature, mindful of the right of individuals to privacy, finds and declares that access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. (Government Code Section 7921.000. All further references are to this code unless otherwise noted.)
3. Defines “public records” to include any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics and those in the custody of, or maintained by, the Governor’s office means any writing prepared on or after January 6, 1975. (Section 7920.530.)
4. Provides that public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of a state or local agency and every person has a right to inspect any public record, exempted as otherwise provided; and that any reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be available for inspection by any person requesting the record after deletion of the portions that are exempted by law. (Section 7922.525.)
5. Requires a public agency to determine whether it has disclosable public records in its possession within ten days or, in specified “unusual circumstances,” within 14 days of the ten-day period, of its receipt of a request for public records and to promptly notify the person making the request of the determination and the reasons therefor. (Section 7922.535 (a).)
6. Defines, for the purposes of 5) “unusual circumstances” to mean the following, to the extent reasonably necessary to the proper processing of the particular request:
   1. The need to search for and collect the requested records from field facilities or other establishments that are separate from the office processing the request.
   2. The need to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records that are demanded in a single request.
   3. The need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another agency having substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of the agency having substantial subject matter interest therein.
   4. The need to compile data, to write programming language or a computer program, or to construct a computer report to extract data.
   5. The inability of the agency, because of a cyberattack, to access its electronic servers or systems in order to search for and obtain a record that the agency believes is responsive to a request and is maintained on the servers or systems in an electronic format. (Section 7922.535 (c).)
7. Requires a public agency to justify withholding any record by demonstrating that the record in question is exempt under express provisions of this division, or that on the facts of the particular case the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record. (Section 7922.000.)
8. Provides that an agency may, in addition to maintaining public records for public inspection during its office hours, comply with its obligations to make its records open for inspection by posting any public record on its internet website and, in response to a request for a public record posted on the internet website, directing a member of the public to the location on the internet website where the public record is posted. (Section 7922.545 (a).)

FISCAL EFFECT: As currently in print this bill is keyed fiscal.

COMMENTS: Existing law requires a public agency to determine whether it has disclosable public records in its possession within ten days of receiving a request from the public for those records or, in specified unusual circumstances, within 14 days. This bill extends those deadlines by specifying that public agencies can provide this response within ten business days, and 14 business days of the ten-day period, in specified unusual circumstances. According to the author:

The California Public Records Act (CPRA) serves as a tool for transparency and accountability in government. By allowing the public to access records related to official actions and decision-making, the CPRA empowers communities to hold government accountable and helps ensure public institutions remain responsive.

In recent years, public agencies have seen a significant increase in public records requests. As digital communication has expanded, submitting requests – often in high volume – has become easier than ever. Some requests are unusually large or require substantial staff time to fulfill. When a small number of requests consume a disproportionate share of resources, agencies can face challenges keeping up with all requests in a timely manner while still providing essential services.

AB 1821 specifies that processing agencies' response times should be tied to business days rather than calendar days. This small change ensures that agencies' timelines actually align with the hours they work. As a result, agencies may continue to respond to requests in a timely manner without being held to timelines that fall outside of standard business or processing hours.

Public Access to Public Records. Access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. (Section 7921.000.) In 2004, the right of public access was enshrined in the California Constitution with the passage of Proposition 59 (Nov. 3, 2004, statewide general election), placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature. SCA 1 (Burton) Chap. 1, Stats. 2004, amended the California Constitution to specifically protect the right of the public to access and obtain government records: “The people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business, and therefore . . . the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny.” (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3 (b)(1).) In 2014, voters approved Proposition 42 (Jun. 3, 2014, statewide direct primary election), placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of both houses of the Legislature, (SCA 3 (Leno) Chap. 123, Stats. 2013), to further increase public access to government records by requiring local agencies to comply with the CPRA and the Ralph M. Brown Act, and with any subsequent statutory enactment amending either act, as provided. (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3 (b)(7).)

Under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of a public agency for inspection by the public, unless exempted. (Section 7922.525.) A public record is defined as any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any public agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. (Section 7920.530.) Despite the CPRA’s general rule that public records are open to inspection and subject to disclosure, the CPRA provides exceptions providing that a document, or a portion thereof, is not subject to public disclosure. An exemption can be explicit in the CPRA itself, pursuant to another law, or justified by the agency’s determination that, based on the facts of the particular case, the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record. (See Sections 7922.000, 7922.525, 7922.530.)

Currently, the CPRA allows a public agency 10 days or, in specified unusual circumstances, an additional 14 days after the 10-day period to respond to a request for the requested public record. (Section 7922.535 (a) – (c).) In its initial response, an agency does not have to provide the public records being requested, but it must determine whether a given request seeks copies of disclosable records in its possession and notify the requester of its determination and the underlying reasons for its determination. (Ibid.)

This bill extends the deadlines for agencies to provide this initial response by converting the current calendar-day deadlines to a business-day standard. Specifically, an agency would be required to make its determination regarding whether it has disclosable records and notify the requester of its determination and the reasons for that determination, within ten business days of receiving the request. Similarly, agencies would be allowed to extend this deadline by 14 business days of the ten-day period, in specified unusual circumstances.

Under existing law, these deadlines continue to toll without accounting for weekends when most public staff are given leave, reducing the number of working days agencies have to provide their initial response. Because of this dynamic, if an agency receives a request for records on a Friday shortly before the close of business, agency staff are unlikely to be able to begin reviewing and analyzing the request until the following Monday, leaving staff with two fewer working days to provide a response. By acknowledging that most agency staff are likely to review requests on working days only, this bill better aligns the CPRA with the operational realities of most agencies.

Despite recent amendments, opponents contend that this bill would permit agencies to further delay responding to Public Records Requests. This bill is opposed by a coalition of journalists and government watchdogs. Despite recent amendments that dramatically narrowed the scope of the bill, the opponents contend that the current calendar-day deadlines do not present an undue burden to agencies and further extensions slow a process that is already severely delayed without consequence. However, it appears that many of these concerns are rooted in the provision of existing law, and local agencies’ reluctance to comply with the law in good faith.

The Committee concedes that widespread delays in complying with Public Record Act requests are a valid problem. However, recognizing that weekends exist and that many local agencies do not have the budgetary flexibility to pay overtime to handle public records requests, the extensions provided for in this bill are modest and reflect the current day-to-day operations of agencies, which must continually provide a wide variety of other essential services to the public.

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: The California State Association of Counties, League of California Cities, California Municipal Clerks Association, Rural County Representatives of California, and Urban Counties of California write in support of this bill. Collectively, they submit:

AB 1821 provides an important and practical clarification to CPRA response timelines. The bill’s shift from “calendar days” to “business days” for initial determinations and extensions is a common‑sense update that reflects the operational realities of local agencies. Public agencies generally do not have staff available on weekends or holidays, yet current law continues to toll CPRA deadlines during these periods. A business‑day standard ensures agencies have the full, intended number of working days to conduct thorough and accurate searches for disclosable records.

Under existing law, agencies must determine within 10 days whether a request seeks disclosable records, with a possible 14‑day extension in unusual circumstances. Neither timeframe accounts for weekends or holidays when staff are unavailable. AB 1821 corrects this discrepancy by converting these periods to business days, helping agencies comply with the law more effectively and consistently.

ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION: A coalition of organizations, including the First Amendment Coalition, ACLU California Action, Oakland Privacy, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, California News Publishers Association, Buen Vecino, and the National Housing Law Project in opposition to the bill state:

AB 1821, as amended, would give all agencies covered by the act more time — 10 business days instead of calendar days — to provide an initial threshold response to a records request. That response need only state whether the agency is in possession of disclosable records and an estimated date of production. Agencies can already extend that response by up to 14 days in specified unusual circumstances. AB 1821 would similarly convert that extension to 14 business days.

This existing 10-or-24-calendar-day timeline does not pose an undue burden on agencies. Converting these periods to business days would often, however, allow agencies to take well over a month simply to inform a requester whether responsive records exist. For example, a request submitted on a Thursday evening or Friday morning would effectively gain four additional days across two weekends. And when agencies invoke the 14-day extension — as they often do — the initial response could stretch to 34 days from the date of the request, even without holidays. This delay is especially untenable for time-sensitive records, where the value of the information diminishes quickly and timely oversight depends on prompt confirmation that records exist.

The current timeline reflects the Legislature’s recognition that agencies should be able to make this basic determination quickly. Extending the time to provide that routine response would normalize delay at the very outset of the request process, postponing accountability before the public even knows whether records are in the agency’s possession. These early delays also compound downstream: requesters cannot effectively narrow requests, challenge improper withholdings, or plan for oversight when agencies are permitted to take longer simply to acknowledge whether responsive records exist.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Alameda County Office of Education
Association of California School Administrators
California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO)
California Municipal Clerks Association (CMCA)
California Special Districts Association
California State Association of Counties
California State Sheriffs' Association
City of Buena Park
City of LA Verne
League of California Cities
Newport Beach; City of
Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC)
Upland; City of
Urban Counties of California (UCC)

Opposition

ACLU California Action
Buen Vecino
California Common CAUSE
California News Publishers Association
Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice
Construction Industry Force Account Council,
Corporation for Supportive Housing
Disability Rights California
First Amendment Coalition
Justice in Aging
Justice2jobs Coalition
LA Defensa
Western Center on Law & Poverty, INC.

2 Individuals

Analysis Prepared by: Kristian Wright / JUD. / (916) 319-2334