California Lawmakers Introduce The "Stop Nick Shirley Act"
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/california-lawmakers-introduce-stop-nick-shirley-act
Yes - AB 2624 (2025-2026 session) is an active, real piece of legislation titled "Privacy for immigration support services providers." It was introduced on February 20, 2026, by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D), and it was amended on April 9, 2026. As of April 13, 2026, it has advanced through committee (read second time and amended) and remains in progress in the Assembly.
What the Bill Actually Does
The bill extends an existing address confidentiality program (modeled after protections for reproductive health care and gender-affirming care providers) to "designated immigration support services providers," their employees, volunteers, and household members.
Key provisions include:
Prohibiting anyone from knowingly posting, displaying, disclosing, or distributing on the internet or social media the personal information or images of these individuals with the specific intent to incite violence, threaten harm, or enable a crime involving violence against them.
Banning soliciting, selling, or trading such information/images with the same harmful intent.
Penalties: Misdemeanor violations carry fines up to $10,000 per violation, imprisonment (typically up to 1 year), or both. It also creates civil remedies, including potential damages.
Confidentiality: It shields home addresses in public records and allows affected individuals to seek removal of threatening content.
Officially, the bill aims to protect workers at nonprofits and service providers (potentially including daycares serving immigrants) from doxxing and harassment amid rising threats of violence. It creates new crimes and state-mandated local programs but does not explicitly mention "journalism" or ban filming in public.