Thread by @adjoro

Today #SB98 was signed into law, ensuring journalists can cover protests and unlawful assemblies in CA. As a lifelong civics nerd, this was my first trip DEEP in a fascinating legislative process. And you know what? It worked. But only thanks to MANY wonderful people. (thread👇)

#SB98 fixed a legal grey area, extending modest existing protections for press under one part of the law (disaster zones) to another (unlawful assemblies). Sounds simple, but it was an involved & time consuming process for well over 100 people. We affirmed #JournalismIsNotACrime.

First and foremost, #SB98 was written and championed by Senator @ilike_mike. We owe him and his legislative director Chris Nielsen a lot of thanks. They were in the trenches for us TWICE before most of us realized this new law was a possibility.

Before rank-and-file journalists organized around #SB98, there was a problematic amendment. Senator @Portantino, a co-author, stepped up to fix it. Senators @sydneykamlager @Scott_Wiener @BenAllenCA @DaveMinCA and @HenrySternCA voiced support. Thank you!

With #SB98 on to the Assembly side, Jonathan Feldman and @AbdulPridgen from @CalChiefs represented law enforcement interests well. Both police and press tried to understand and respect concerns of the other party, and sought amendment language to help.

We also had dialogues over the past year with @LAPDHQ and @LASDHQ about a number of related issues, and worked to incorporate learnings and observations from our respective experiences with recent unlawful assemblies.

We got an important #SB98 endorsement from @LACountyBOS, with support from @HildaSolis and @SheilaKuehl, and testimony from @AGuzmanLopez @josie_huang @bfeinzimer and @mattdpearce.

Above all, I want to share my greatest respect and gratitude for the journalists and journalism organizations that got involved. We kept referring to our coalition as "unprecedented," and there's no doubt about it. This was different -- and we have a long collective memory!

I can't say enough about the contributions of @AshantiBlaize @JarrettHill @juliepatel @mattdpearce @YCabreraOC ... #SB98 wouldn't have become a law without their extraordinary behind-the-scenes efforts. Words can't say enough here, so maybe this gif?

The coalition counted on stellar contributions from @fajardonews @StoltzeFrankly @tarantulaarms @LAJourno @joshpcain @deadlinederek @mapplegate1 @gaufre Richard Knee & Joel Bellman, just to name a FEW. I feel terrible leaving out many whose names will certainly come to me later.

If you've seen videos about #SB98 circulating on Twitter, that was the dedicated effort of @VGMarketingPR's @TheBAsnyder, Sebastien Prudent and Andres Magallanes working with @YCabreraOC and @NAHJ. Ya'll rock.

Thank you @LAPressClub for trusting me to chair our press rights committee. Among the board members whose contributions the past year helped make #SB98 a reality: @NicChaKim @joshscampbell @dbwelljr @deepafern @LARichwine @brittanylevine and of course Diana Ljungaeus.

Seriously, so many journalists pitched in with #SB98. Among the GROUPS involved: @AAJAla @AAJASanDiego @aajasf @CalAwareOrg @FACoalition @FUNDAMEDIOS @LatinoJournosCA @IBEW(Local 45) @womenjournos(SoCal) @LAPressClub @MediaAllianceCA @MediaGuildWest @NABJLAOfficial @NAHJ ...

... @NAHJ_LOSANGELES @newsguild @nlgjaLA @NPPA @paythewriter @pressfreedom @ONA(LA) @OCPressClub @PacMediaGuild @PENamerica @RCFP @RTDNA @spj_tweets @SPJLA @SPJNorCal @sdspj @wemakeKCRW @WGAEast. These organizations all stood up for journalists and made a big difference on #SB98.

#SB98 got helpful endorsements from @latimes, @sdut, @mercnews/@EastBayTimes, and @ocregister/@ladailynews/@DailyBreezeNews ... plus op-eds in @sfchronicle @sacbee_news @mercnews and @ocregister, among others.

We got critical insights from legal eagles like @nppalawyer from @NPPA, @EliasbergPeter @PeterBibring @zoenicole @zureiquack from @ACLU_SoCal, @GraysonClary @gabe_rottman and @katie_rcfp from @rcfp, and @SusanESeager from @UCIrvineIPAT.

Most of our organizations don't regularly speak out on legislation, so it was incredibly valuable to get information resources from Quyen Tu and @LeslieBarnesAFJ at @AFJBeBold (by @AFJustice) to help understand the ins-and-outs of nonprofit lobbying.

It really helped getting an understanding of Sacramento from Kevin Baker (a hero on #SB98!) from @ACLU_CalAction, @britbarsotti (also a hero on #SB98!) from @CNPAservices, @Nikki__Moore, and an army of legislative counselors esp. Matthew Fleming in Assembly Public Safety.

Extra shoutout for ORIGINAL advocates on this bill, including aforementioned ACLU, CNPA, FAC & RCFP, and of course California Black Media, California Broadcasters Association, ImpreMedia and
LA Opinion.

In the executive branch, @JDevencenzi ran point to clarify concerns and get a workable version to @CAgovernor's desk. Now the journalism community is thrilled to have #SB98 on the books with @GavinNewsom's signature. And now you know what went into that one stroke of his pen!

This means a lot to me. My mom, dad and brother were all journalists before they passed. I did a lot of caregiving in recent years, then suddenly had a hole in my life. I put that free time into #SB98. This bill would have really mattered to them. I'm so thankful to be involved.

I'm sure I'm forgetting important contributors, and that's the wildest part ... it's just SO many people who made a meaningful contribution and built a remarkable consensus. I reserve the right to add names to this thread and I'm sorry if I haven't included you on here yet.