BILL ANALYSIS AB 1813 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 28, 2010 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair AB 1813 (Lieu) - As Amended: April 15, 2010 Policy Committee: Public SafetyVote: 7-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill expands the definition of public safety official, in the statute requiring removal of a public official's home address or telephone number from public display on the Internet within 48 hours of the request, to include any peace officer, as specified, and adds cell phone applications to the Internet provisions. FISCAL EFFECT Minor annual nonreimbursable local law enforcement and incarceration costs, offset to a degree by increased fine revenue, to the extent this bill results in additional misdemeanor penalties for posting public officials' identifying information. COMMENTS Rationale . Current law provides for privacy of home addresses and telephone numbers on the Internet for elected or appointed officials and public safety officials. Statute provides that no public agency may post the private information of a public safety official on the Internet without written consent. This bill adds cell phone applications to the Internet prohibition, and expands the definition of public safety official to include virtually all peace officers, including retired peace officers. The author contends this bill addresses the ubiquity of smart phones and provides protection to a wider array of peace AB 1813 Page 2 officers. According to the author, with the expansion of smart cellular phones (iphones and blackberries, etc.) and their applications, opt-out information may remain on these phones because data vendors purchase public information from multiple sources, including the county recorder's office, county assessor's office and school alumni lists. The author's stated concern is that when data vendors purchase public information from different sources, public safety officials' home addresses and telephone numbers may be re-posted, but now on cell phone applications. Regarding expansion of peace officers under the definition of public officials, the author contends there is no reason to limiting the protection to specified peace officers. Analysis Prepared by : Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081