Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law what has colloquially been known as the “Stop Nick Shirley Act.”

The law gives government-assisted cover to non-profit groups by restricting the publication of their information and prohibiting recordings and photos of employees or volunteers. 

The legislation initially would have criminalized the shocking investigations undertaken by citizen journalist Nick Shirley that exposed the massive fraud schemes rampant across Minnesota and California. The press account even posted an AI-generated meme depicting Shirley as a creepy man attempting to break into daycares. Carve outs were granted for journalists after widespread backlash.

Shirley has criticized the passage of the bill, claiming that the state “would rather protect fraudsters over law-abiding taxpayers.”