The California Assembly has advanced AB 2624, a privacy bill that has drawn criticism from journalist Nick Shirley, who claims the legislation is designed to limit his investigative work.

Shirley has accused California lawmakers of attempting to shield taxpayer-funded non-governmental organizations from public scrutiny through the proposed legislation. He has characterized the bill as targeting his journalism, referring to it as what some have dubbed the 'Stop Nick Shirley Act.'

The journalist argues that the privacy bill would restrict his ability to investigate and report on organizations that receive public funding. Shirley contends that lawmakers are using privacy protections as a means to limit transparency and accountability for entities that operate with taxpayer money.

Meanwhile, environmental activist Erin Brockovich has reportedly taken on a separate but related mission involving data center secrecy, though the specific connection to the California privacy legislation remains unclear.

AB 2624's advancement through the Assembly represents another step in California's ongoing efforts to strengthen privacy protections, though critics like Shirley argue the legislation may have unintended consequences for investigative journalism and government transparency.