California Bill Requiring Release of 911 Call Data From Detention Centers Heads to Gov. Newsom

The California Legislature passed Senate Bill 423, which would require local agencies to release audio and written records of 911 and other emergency-service calls originating from privately operated detention facilities upon public request, and sent it to Gov. Gavin Newsom. State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, introduced the bill after CalMatters reporting on alleged sexual assaults at the CoreCivic-run Otay Mesa Detention Center, where the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office declined to release 911 records by citing “a law enforcement investigation” while also saying it was not investigating the cases. The bill includes an exception for active investigations and requires redacting the names of affected individuals. The number of people held in ICE facilities in California has nearly doubled since early 2025, and six people died at two of the state’s private detention facilities between September 2025 and March 2026. A legislative analysis showed no registered opposition.