This lawmaker’s proposal could make California ‘the most secretive state in the country’

Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco's Assembly Bill 1821 proposes allowing government agencies to delay responses to public records requests and charge higher fees for 'commercial use' searches, drawing criticism from transparency advocates who argue it could make California the most secretive state. Pacheco claims the bill aims to prevent AI-driven and malicious requests from overwhelming local governments, but opponents say it creates barriers to accountability and violates public access rights.