Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 649, Sec. 1. (SB 155) Effective October 11, 2025.
This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Civic Media Act.
Article 15 - California Civic Media Act
California Government Code — §§ 12100.160-12100.162
Sections (3)
Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 649, Sec. 1. (SB 155) Effective October 11, 2025.
(a)The California Civic Media Program is hereby established under the administration of the office in the advancement of the following goals:
(1)Enhancing the public good through supporting a robust and dynamic California press corps and reinforcing the vital role of journalism in our democracy.
(2)Empowering Californians by fostering greater understanding of and access to information about their communities and governmental structures.
(3)Ensuring the sustainability of existing and new online publications with an emphasis on community-facing journalism.
(4)Supporting California-based state and local news organizations, particularly those serving underserved and underrepresented communities.
(5)Strengthening journalism that facilitates social integration, promotes civic engagement, and addresses inequalities among underserved communities.
(b)(1) The director shall establish and appoint a nine-person advisory board, consisting of the following members:
(A) Two at-large members.
(B) Two members representing the California News Publishers Association, or a successor entity.
(C) One member representing the American Community Media, or a successor entity.
(D) One member representing the Local Independent Online News Publishers, or a successor entity.
(E) One member representing the Latino Media Collaborative, or a successor entity.
(F) One member representing the California Black Media, or a successor entity.
(G) One member representing the Media Guild of the West, or a successor entity.
(2)Each entity described in subparagraphs (B) to (G), inclusive, of paragraph (1) may recommend candidates to the director.
Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 649, Sec. 1. (SB 155) Effective October 11, 2025.
(a)(1) There is hereby created in the State Treasury the California Civic Media Fund to be administered by the office. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all moneys deposited in the fund, including state General Fund appropriations and private bequeaths, donations, gifts, or grants, are continuously appropriated to the office for purposes of this article. Public moneys shall be accounted for separately from private moneys in the fund.
(2)(A) The office may accept contributions from private sources, including private for-profit and nonprofit organizations.
(B)All contributions provided pursuant to subparagraph
(A)shall be deposited in the fund.
(b)The office shall direct the expenditure of public moneys in the fund, consistent with the purposes and subject to the restrictions set forth in this article.
(c)The office may solicit recommendations from the advisory board, but shall retain sole discretion and control over the expenditure of public moneys in the fund, consistent with the requirements of this article.
(d)(1) The advisory board shall make recommendations to the office on allocations of funds contributed by a private party. If the private funds are held by a third-party administrator designated by the donor, the office shall provide instructions to the administrator for the expenditure of those funds.
(2)In considering the
allocation of moneys from private sources, the advisory board may seek to allocate moneys to publishers on a pro rata basis based on the number of journalists employed by a publisher in the state, with the goal of increasing the total number of journalists employed in the state.
(e)(1) No more than 7.5 percent of the fund may be used for the administration of this article.
(2)Public moneys in the fund shall be expended in furtherance of the purposes of this article.
(3)The office may enter into an agreement with third parties for purposes of administering programs funded, in whole or in part, with public moneys allocated from the fund.
(4)In expending public moneys in the fund, the office shall prioritize allocations to support
local and community news organizations.
(5)In any fiscal year, the total expenditure of public money from the California Civic Media Fund shall not exceed the total aggregate expenditure of funds from private sources, whether contributed to the Fund, or contributed to a third-party administrator that holds and disburses those funds pursuant to an agreement with the office.