7928.215. (a) For purposes of this section, “publicly post” or “publicly display” means to intentionally communicate or otherwise make available to the general public.
(b) No person, business, or association shall publicly post or publicly display on the internet the home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official if that official has, either directly or through an agent designated under Section 7928.220, made a written demand of that person, business, or association to not disclose the official’s home address or telephone number.
(c) A written demand made under this section by a state constitutional officer, a mayor, or a Member of the Legislature, a city council, or a board of supervisors shall include a statement describing a threat or fear for the safety of that official or of any person residing at the official’s home address.
(d) A written demand made under this section by an elected official shall be effective for four years, regardless of whether the official’s term has expired before the end of the four-year period.
(e) (1) A person, business, or association that receives the written demand of an elected or appointed official pursuant to this section shall remove the official’s home address or telephone number from public display on the internet, including information provided to cellular telephone applications, within 48 hours of delivery of the written demand, and shall continue to ensure that this information is not reposted on the same internet website, subsidiary site, or any other internet website maintained by the recipient of the written demand.
(2) After receiving the elected or appointed official’s written demand, the person, business, or association shall not transfer the appointed or elected official’s home address or telephone number to any other person, business, or association through any other medium.
(3) Paragraph (2) does not prohibit a telephone corporation, as defined in Section 234 of the Public Utilities Code, or its affiliate, from transferring the elected or appointed official’s home address or telephone number to any person, business, or association, if the transfer is authorized by federal or state law, regulation, order, or tariff, or necessary in the event of an emergency, or to collect a debt owed by the elected or appointed official to the telephone corporation or its affiliate.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 614, Sec. 2. (AB 473) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 7931.000.)