Lawmakers block California bill to ban use of NDAs in legislative negotiations

California lawmakers on Thursday blocked a bill in a key committee that would ban the use of non-disclosure agreements in the state's lawmaking process. AB 2654, written by Republican Assemblyman Vince Fong, would have made it a misdemeanor crime for lobbyists and other government officials from drafting, requesting, or signing NDAs. The bill failed on a party-line vote, with two Republicans supporting the measure. Most Democrats on the Assembly Elections Committee refused to even cast a vote on the bill, except for the leader of the committee, Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who voted no.