The claim
Gavin Newsom and California Democrats passed a law known as the 'Stop Nick Shirley Act' to criminalize the exposure of taxpayer fraud in immigrant service nonprofits and Medicaid schemes.View original claim · GuntherEagleman
Original wording
🚨 CALIFORNIA JUST MADE IT A CRIME TO EXPOSE THEIR FRAUD Nick Shirley exposes massive taxpayer fraud in immigrant “service” nonprofits and Medicaid schemes… So Gavin Newsom and California Democrats pass the “Stop Nick Shirley Act.” They didn’t fix the fraud. They
The finding
Partially trueGovernor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2624, which expands California's Safe at Home address confidentiality program to include immigration nonprofit workers. Republican critics nicknamed the legislation the 'Stop Nick Shirley Act' and claimed it would hinder the exposure of fraud, but the law does not criminalize the exposure of taxpayer fraud; it only penalizes the posting of personal information or images when done with the specific intent to incite imminent great bodily harm or threaten service providers.
Context
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2624, which expands California's Safe at Home address confidentiality program to include immigration nonprofit workers.
Evidence
Republican critics nicknamed the legislation the 'Stop Nick Shirley Act' and claimed it would hinder the exposure of fraud.
Analysis
The law's text does not criminalize journalism or the exposure of taxpayer fraud. It specifically penalizes the posting of personal information or images when done with the intent to incite imminent great bodily harm or threaten service providers.
The claim that the law criminalizes the exposure of fraud is false, though the nickname used by critics is accurately associated with the bill.