The California Legislature passed legislation that would prohibit state and local agencies from publicly posting the home address, telephone number, or both the name and assessor parcel number associated with the home address, of any elected or appointed official without obtaining the written permission of that individual. The bill awaits the governor’s signature.
The bill, AB 1785, states, “It is the intent of the legislature to enact legislation that accomplishes all of the following:
- “Does not limit or prohibit the access to recorded documents, indices, and assessor data through electronic means by business entities, including title companies, title plants, credit reporting agencies, or lenders.
- “Does not cause databases that currently provide the public with online access to recorded documents, indices, and assessor data to be taken offline or otherwise made unavailable to the public.
- “Clarifies existing law and closes a loophole in obtaining an elected or appointed official’s home addresses through the public posting of assessor parcel numbers associated with that home address, while continuing to allow the public to inspect and obtain copies of public records that are in the possession of a county recorder or assessor during business hours.”
It further states, “No state or local agency shall publicly post the home address, telephone number, or both the name and assessor parcel number associated with the home address of nay elected or appointed official on the internet without first obtaining the written permission of that individual.”
It wouldn’t prohibit a state or local agency from publicly posting a legally required notice or publication of an elected or appointed official on the internet.
The bill defines publicly post as “intentionally communicate or otherwise make available the information described in subdivision (a) on the internet in an unrestricted and publicly available manner.”