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CIPC applauds signing of bill to increase privacy protections

Sacramento, CA – Earlier this afternoon, Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 244 (Lara) into law. Co-sponsored by the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) and the ACLU of California, the new law strengthens privacy protections for personal information gathered by state and local agencies for key programs such as driver’s licenses, local health programs, and municipal identification cards.

In response to the signature, Gina Da Silva, Government Affairs Director for CIPC, issued the following statement:

As we face the federal government’s relentless attacks on California’s communities and values, SB 244 creates an important new layer of protection for all Californians, including immigrants.

By safeguarding personal information, SB 244 will also safeguard immigrants’ vital participation in our state’s social, economic, and cultural life.

This new law upholds our state’s long tradition of protecting personal privacy rights, an important counterpoint to the Trump administration’s campaign of intimidation and fear-mongering. We encourage California’s leaders to continue to strengthen these important protections.

In particular, SB 244 strengthens existing privacy protections for community members who apply for driver’s licenses. Previously, the state could share personally identifying records of license applicants with law enforcement during an investigation. Under SB 244, an order signed by a judge or other urgent circumstances are required, further bolstering privacy protections.