CAL.Regulation
California opens detention-facility incident reports to public-records disclosure
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 423 on September 29, 2026. It adds Government Code section 7923.606 to the California Public Records Act, providing that recordings and written communications to state or local agencies reporting incidents at private detention facilities — and related law-enforcement records — are not confidential and must be disclosed on request, with limited redactions. The provision does not apply to the Attorney General, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of the Governor
Key points
- Incident reports at private detention facilities are disclosable under the Public Records Act.California Legislative Information
- Covers recordings, written communications to agencies, and related law-enforcement records.California Legislative Information
- Agencies must redact names of people who experienced an incident and, where safety requires, of whistleblowers or witnesses; no other redactions are allowed.California Legislative Information
- Excludes the Attorney General, DOJ, and Department of Consumer Affairs.California Legislative Information
- Takes effect January 1, 2027; active law-enforcement investigations may delay disclosure of related writings.California Legislative Information
Sources2 articles across 2 outlets
California Legislative Information
Office of the Governor
Filed under
RegulationCal.SB 423 — Detention Facility Records DisclosureAdministrativeImmigrationRegulatoryFor practitionersFor governance