7924.110. (a) Notwithstanding Sections 7920.510, 7920.515, 7920.520, 7920.530, 7920.540, 7920.545, 7922.545, subdivision (a) of Section 7920.525, subdivision (b) of Section 7922.540, and Sections 7922.500 to 7922.535, inclusive, the following are not public records:
(1) A statewide, county, city, or district initiative, referendum, or recall petition.
(2) A petition circulated pursuant to Section 5091 of the Education Code.
(3) A petition for reorganization of school districts submitted pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 35700) of Chapter 4 of Part 21 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Education Code.
(4) A petition for reorganization of community college districts submitted pursuant to Part 46 (commencing with Section 74000) of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code.
(5) A memorandum prepared by a county elections official in the examination of a petition, indicating which registered voters signed that particular petition.
(b) The materials described in subdivision (a) shall not be open to inspection except by the following persons:
(1) A public officer or public employee who has the duty of receiving, examining, or preserving the petition, or who is responsible for preparation of the memorandum.
(2) If a petition is found to be insufficient, by the proponent of the petition and a representative of the proponent as may be designated by the proponent in writing, in order to determine which signatures were disqualified and the reasons therefor.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Fair Political Practices Commission, a district attorney, a city attorney, a school district attorney, and a community college district attorney shall be permitted to examine the materials described in subdivision (a) upon approval of the appropriate superior court.
(d) If the proponent of a petition is permitted to examine a petition and a memorandum pursuant to subdivision (b), the examination shall commence not later than 21 days after certification of insufficiency, and the county elections official shall retain the documents as prescribed in Section 17200 of the Elections Code.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 614, Sec. 2. (AB 473) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 7931.000.)