Key Points
- California Assemblymember Maggy Krell introduced three bills aimed at protecting journalists and preserving public access to courts.
- The proposals target political retaliation, courtroom exclusions and rising violence against news organizations.
- The measures follow recent incidents involving blocked court access and a shooting at a Sacramento TV station.
A California lawmaker has introduced three bills aimed at strengthening legal protections for journalists and reinforcing media access to courtrooms, citing an increase in political retaliation and violence targeting the press.
Assemblymember Maggy Krell of Sacramento announced the legislation at the start of the new year, arguing that recent incidents reflect a broader erosion of democratic norms. Krell said abuses of power, along with physical threats against journalists, jeopardize what she described as the foundational institutions of democracy, including the press, courts and universities.
Krell’s office pointed to multiple incidents as justification for the proposals. In June, journalists were barred from observing an immigration court hearing in Sacramento; just a few months later, a television station found itself in the crosshairs of a suspected gunman, who allegedly fired into their building several times.
“The real danger is that today’s shocking abuses of power become routine, permanent parts of tomorrow’s political culture,” Krell said in a statement on Monday. “My generation of leaders still has the choice of whether we strengthen and renew our democracy or let it wither away right under our noses.”
The first proposal, Assembly Bill 1538, would make it illegal for an elected or appointed official to retaliate against an individual for exercising a constitutionally protected right. While current California law contains anti-corruption provisions, Krell’s office said it does not explicitly criminalize political retaliation. If enacted, the bill would allow for the removal of an official from office and disqualify that individual from running for future office if convicted of abusing authority through retaliation.
Assembly Bill 1544 addresses access to court proceedings and public court facilities. Krell’s office cited a June incident at the John Moss Federal Building in Sacramento, where journalists were prevented from observing immigration court proceedings and potential arrests. A similar situation occurred in San Diego, where a journalist was ordered to leave an immigration proceeding while other members of the public were permitted to stay.
Following the San Diego incident, the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press (RCFP) sent a letter arguing that excluding journalists from public immigration hearings violated federal regulations and undermined transparency. Assembly Bill 1544 would prohibit judges or court officers from excluding journalists from courtrooms or court proceedings that are otherwise open to the public.
The third measure, Assembly Bill 1545, would impose enhanced penalties for crimes committed against journalists and news organizations. Krell’s office said more than 100 assaults against journalists were reported by August 2025, compared with 43 assaults during all of 2022.
The proposal also references last year’s shooting into the building of KXTV (Channel 10, ABC) in Sacramento. A 64-year-old suspect faces state and federal charges in connection with the shooting and has pleaded not guilty. No one was physically injured in the shooting, but station employees say the incident left them traumatized.
Under Assembly Bill 1545, misdemeanor offenses against journalists could result in up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Felony convictions could carry sentence enhancements of one, two or three additional years in prison.
The bills are not expected to be heard by legislative committees until at least early February. The California News Publishers Association (CNPA), which represents media organizations statewide, said it plans to provide comment on the legislation in the coming days.
