Source: The People's Vanguard of Davis
The bill was prompted by a 2024 case in Stanislaus County where a transgender woman was harassed after being outed when her court records became public. The 5th District Court of Appeal ruled that such records could be sealed, but left the decision to judicial discretion. SB 59 codifies stronger and more consistent privacy protections statewide.
The bill is co-authored by Senators Chris Cabaldon, John Laird, Steve Padilla, Sasha Pérez, and Sabrina Cervantes, along with Assemblymembers Alex Lee, Chris Ward, José Luis Solache, Jr., Mark Gonzalez, Rick Zbur, and Corey Jackson.