Newsom signs 'Stop Nick Shirley Act' privacy bill

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a controversial privacy bill into law on Saturday, August 22, 2026, extending state protections to employees and volunteers of nonprofit organizations that provide immigration services. The legislation, Assembly Bill 2624, expands California's existing Safe at Home program to include these workers, allowing them to use a substitute mailing address to shield their personal information from public records. The bill, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Mia Bonta, aims to protect immigration service providers from harassment and threats.