Bill nicknamed ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’; sponsor defends it

(The Center Square) – After Republican lawmakers in California’s Legislature nicknamed her immigration bill the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” Assemblymember Mia Bonta stressed the legislation aims to protect workers of immigrant service organizations, not silence journalists.

“Sharing the name and address of a front desk worker of a legal aid clinic to intimidate them out of doing their job isn’t journalism, no matter who does it,” Bonta, D-Oakland, told The Center Square through a spokesperson, who shared the lawmaker’s comments in a text. “The bill’s language already explicitly protects investigative journalism, and I’ll continue to collaborate with my colleagues, advocates and our policy committees to advance language that reflects that and advances my goal of protecting workers from threats and violence.”

But critics say the bill would lead to First Amendment concerns for independent people covering the news, such as YouTube influencer Nick Shirley.

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