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<ns0:Id>20250SB__099499INT</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-05</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Cabaldon</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Cabaldon</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to add Article 2.4.4 (commencing with Section 53235.5) to Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code, relating to local government. </ns0:Title>
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<ns0:Subject>Local government: nondisclosure agreements.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law, the legislative code of ethics, prohibits Members of the Legislature from entering into, or requesting that another party enter into, a nondisclosure agreement relating to the drafting, negotiation, or discussion of proposed legislation. Existing law also makes any nondisclosure agreement relating to the drafting, negotiation, or discussion of proposed legislation entered into after January 1, 2026, void and unenforceable. Existing law provides an exception for nondisclosure agreements, or portions thereof, that prevent only the disclosure of trade secrets, financial information, or proprietary information, as specified.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would prohibit a local government official acting in their official capacity from entering into, or requesting that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that
precludes their ability to share information with fellow local government officials serving on the same council, board, commission, district, or agency. The bill would require a local government official in violation of that provision to, among other things, disclose the existence of the nondisclosure agreement, as specified, and would provide that these requirements imposed on a local government official also apply to a local government official acting in their official capacity who entered into, or requested that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement described above before January 1, 2027. By imposing additional duties on local government officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also make any nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes the ability of a local government official to share information with fellow local government officials serving on the same council, board, commission, district, or agency and that is entered
into after January 1, 2027, void and unenforceable. </html:p>
<html:p>The bill would prohibit staff of a local government official acting in their official capacity from entering into, or requesting that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes their ability to share information with the local government official who they serve under. The bill would also make any nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes the ability of any staff of a local government official acting in their official capacity to share information with the local government official who they serve under and that is entered into after January 1, 2027, void and unenforceable.</html:p>
<html:p>The bill would provide an exception for nondisclosure agreements, or portions thereof, that prevent only the disclosure of trade secrets, financial information, or proprietary information, as specified. The bill would
define “local government official” for its purposes to mean any public official serving on behalf of a city, county, local agency formation commission, special district, or local educational agency, as specified, and would exempt from its provisions a local government official serving on behalf of a charter city or charter county.</html:p>
<html:p>The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.</html:p>
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<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Article 2.4.4 (commencing with Section 53235.5) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the
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, to read:
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<ns0:LawHeading type="ARTICLE" id="id_A4DD4795-C86B-4371-BCEF-53416647A97E">
<ns0:Num>2.4.4.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:LawHeadingText>Nondisclosure Agreements.</ns0:LawHeadingText>
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<ns0:Num>53235.5.</ns0:Num>
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(a)
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(1)
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(A)
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Except as provided in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), a local government official acting in their official capacity shall not enter into, or request that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes their ability to share information with fellow local government officials serving on the same council, board, commission, district, or agency.
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(B)
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Notwithstanding any other laws, a local government official in violation of subparagraph (A) shall be subject to both of the following:
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(i)
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The local government official shall be disqualified from voting on, participating in
deliberations on, or attempting to influence decisions related to the subject matter of the nondisclosure agreement.
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(ii)
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The local government official shall disclose the existence of the nondisclosure agreement, but not its contents to the extent that disclosure of the contents would violate the agreement, and recuse themselves from related matters.
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(C)
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Notwithstanding any other laws, subparagraph (B) shall also apply to a local government official acting in their official capacity who entered into, or requested that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement described in subparagraph (A) before January 1, 2027.
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(2)
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Except as provided in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c), any nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes the ability of a local government official to share
information with fellow local government officials serving on the same council, board, commission, district, or agency and that is entered into or requested by a local government official acting in their official capacity or their staff on or after January 1, 2027, shall be void and unenforceable.
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<html:p>
(b)
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(1)
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Except as provided in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), staff of a local government official acting in their official capacity shall not enter into, or request that another individual enter into, a nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes their ability to share information with the local government official who they serve under.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Except as provided in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c), any nondisclosure agreement relating to public business that precludes the ability of any staff of a local government official acting in their
official capacity to share information with the local government official who they serve under and that is entered into or requested by staff of a local government official on or after January 1, 2027, shall be void and unenforceable.
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<html:p>
(c)
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(1)
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This section does not prohibit a local government official and their staff from entering into or requesting a nondisclosure agreement that prevents only the disclosure of trade secrets, financial information, or proprietary information.
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(2)
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This section does not make void and unenforceable a nondisclosure agreement, or portion of a nondisclosure agreement, that prevents only the disclosure of trade secrets, financial information, or proprietary information.
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(d)
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Notwithstanding subdivision (e), this section does not apply to a local government official
serving on behalf of a charter city or charter county.
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(e)
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For purposes of this section, “local government official” means any public official serving on behalf of a city, county, local agency formation commission, special district, or local educational agency. “Local government official” includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
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(1)
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A city council member.
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(2)
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A city manager.
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(3)
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A mayor.
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(4)
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A planning commissioner.
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(5)
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A county administrator.
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(6)
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A county board of supervisors.
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(7)
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A
local agency formation commissioner.
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(8)
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A member of the legislative body of a special district.
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(9)
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A superintendent of schools.
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(10)
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A school board member.
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_1EBC5ABF-EDD5-4D9B-A12C-2DA63FF53FCF">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.</html:p>
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