AB 1821: California Public Records Act: agency response time.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires each state or local agency, upon a request for a copy of records that reasonably describes an identifiable record or records, to make the records promptly available to any person upon payment of fees covering direct costs of duplication, or a statutory fee if applicable, except with respect to public records exempt from disclosure by express provisions of law.

Existing law requires each agency, within 10 days of a request for a copy of records, to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person of the determination and the reasons therefor. Existing law authorizes that time limit to be extended by no more than 14 days under unusual circumstances, as defined.

This bill would instead require each agency to determine whether the request seeks copies of disclosable public records in possession of the agency and to promptly notify the person as described above within 10 business days of a request for a copy of records. The bill would instead authorize the time period for each agency to respond to be extended by no more than 14 business days.

The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 899, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 31, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. August 25, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 50. Noes 3. Page 6506.).
5. August 25, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. August 25, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).
7. August 4, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 3, 2026From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
9. July 1, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
10. June 25, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.
11. June 10, 2026Referred to Com. on JUD.
12. June 10, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.