A bill introduced by Assemblyman Joe Patterson is gaining momentum in Sacramento, aiming to end the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) by government agencies to conceal serious misconduct. The legislation, which passed its first committee vote last week, would bar public institutions from using legal settlements to silence employees who report harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or abuse inside taxpayer-funded departments.
At the heart of Patterson’s bill is a simple principle: the government works for the people—and it doesn’t get to hide from them.
“For too long, NDAs have been used to keep the public in the dark about serious issues inside our public agencies,” Patterson said. “This legislation brings transparency where there’s been secrecy and puts the public back in control.”
Under current law, public agencies have used NDAs to quietly settle claims of wrongdoing while keeping the details under wraps. That means repeated misconduct, taxpayer-funded settlements, and no accountability. Patterson’s bill would change that—lifting the veil on what’s been kept hidden and making it clear that public trust can’t be protected by silence.
While some advocates have argued that NDAs give victims privacy, Patterson’s bill includes language that protects a victim’s choice to remain private—what it stops is the government from requiring silence to protect itself.
“This isn’t about politics,” Patterson added. “It’s about restoring integrity to our public institutions. People have the right to know what’s going on in the agencies that serve them.”
Though a similar idea was proposed in the past, this version marks a new push with Patterson leading the charge and emphasizing public transparency as a matter of principle. With public trust in government at a low, many see this bill as a long-overdue correction to a system that has favored secrecy over accountability.The bill now heads to the Assembly Judiciary Committee, where debate will continue. But for now, Patterson’s effort has struck a chord—reminding lawmakers that in a government of the people, truth shouldn’t be negotiable.
