BlackletterCalifornia law

Government Code § 9053.5

ARTICLE 3. Crimes Against the Legislative Power

Current as of September 28, 2026Gov. Code, § 9053.5Official source ↗

Added by Stats. 1984, Ch. 1134, Sec. 2.

(a) Every person who intentionally, maliciously, with knowledge of the falsity, and with intent to defame a particular legislator, publishes or causes to be published any writing which purports to be a facsimile of an actual bill or resolution, or any part thereof, of the California Legislature, which is not an exact copy of a bill or resolution, or part thereof, which has been introduced in the Legislature, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b) This section shall not apply to the print media, the electronic media, or to news services.