6215.2
. (a) An adult person, a parent or guardian acting on behalf
of a minor, or a guardian acting on behalf of an incapacitated
person, who is domiciled in California, may apply to the Secretary of
State to have an address designated by the Secretary of State to
serve as the person's address or the address of the minor or
incapacitated person. An application shall be completed in person at
a community-based assistance program designated by the Secretary of
State. The application process shall include a requirement that the
applicant shall meet with a counselor and receive orientation
information about the program. The Secretary of State shall approve
an application if it is filed in the manner and on the form
prescribed by the Secretary of State and if it contains all of the
following:
(1) If the applicant alleges that the basis for the application is
that the applicant, or the minor or incapacitated person on whose
behalf the application is made, is a reproductive health care service
provider, employee, or volunteer who is fearful for his or her
safety or the safety of his or her family because of his or her
affiliation with a reproductive health care services facility, the
application shall be accompanied by all of the following:
(A) Documentation showing that the individual is to commence
employment or is currently employed as a provider or employee at a
reproductive health care services facility or is volunteering at a
reproductive health care services facility.
(B) A certified statement signed by a person authorized by the
reproductive health care services facility stating that the facility
or any of its providers, employees, volunteers, or patients is or was
the target of threats or acts of violence within one year of the
date of the application. A person who willfully certifies as true any
material matter pursuant to this section which he or she knows to be
false is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(C) A sworn statement that the applicant fears for his or her
safety or the safety of his or her family, or the safety of the minor
or incapacitated person on whose behalf the application is made due
to his or her affiliation with the reproductive health care services
facility providing the declaration described in subparagraph (B).
(2) If the applicant alleges that the basis for the application is
that the applicant is a reproductive health care services facility
volunteer, the application shall, in addition to the documents
specified in paragraph (1), be accompanied by reproductive health
care services facility documentation showing the length of time the
volunteer has committed to working at the facility.
(3) If the applicant alleges that the basis of the application is
that the applicant, or the minor or incapacitated person on whose
behalf the application is made, is a person who is or has been the
target of threats or acts of violence because he or she is obtaining
or seeking to obtain services at a reproductive health care services
facility within one year of the date of the application, the
application shall be accompanied by the following:
(A) A sworn statement that the applicant has good reason to fear
for his or her safety or the safety of his or her family.
(B) Any police, court, or other government agency records or files
that show any complaints of the alleged threats or acts of violence.
(4) A designation of the Secretary of State as agent for purposes
of service of process and for the purpose of receipt of mail.
(A) Service on the Secretary of State of any summons, writ,
notice, demand, or process shall be made by delivering to the address
confidentiality program personnel of the office of the Secretary of
State two copies of the summons, writ, notice, demand, or process.
(B) If a summons, writ, notice, demand, or process is served on
the Secretary of State, the Secretary of State shall immediately
cause a copy to be forwarded to the program participant at the
address shown on the records of the address confidentiality program
so that the summons, writ, notice, demand, or process is received by
the program participant within three days of the Secretary of State's
having received it.
(C) The Secretary of State shall keep a record of all summonses,
writs, notices, demands, and processes served upon the Secretary of
State under this section and shall record the time of that service
and the Secretary of State's action.
(D) The office of the Secretary of State and any agent or person
employed by the Secretary of State shall be held harmless from any
liability in any action brought by any person injured or harmed as a
result of the handling of first-class mail on behalf of program
participants.
(5) The mailing address where the applicant can be contacted by
the Secretary of State, and the telephone number or numbers where the
applicant can be called by the Secretary of State.
(6) The address or addresses that the applicant requests not be
disclosed for the reason that disclosure will increase the risk of
acts of violence toward the applicant.
(7) The signature of the applicant and of any individual or
representative of any office designated in writing who assisted in
the preparation of the application, and the date on which the
applicant signed the application.
(b) Applications shall be filed with the office of the Secretary
of State.
(c) Applications submitted by a reproductive health care services
facility, its providers, employees, or volunteers shall be
accompanied by payment of a fee to be determined by the Secretary of
State. This fee shall not exceed the actual costs of enrolling in the
program. In addition, annual fees may also be assessed by the
Secretary of State to defray the actual costs of maintaining this
program. Annual fees assessed by the Secretary of State shall also be
used to reimburse the General Fund for any amounts expended from
that fund for the purposes of this chapter. No applicant who is a
patient of a reproductive health care services facility shall be
required to pay an application fee or the annual fee under this
program.
(d) The Address Confidentiality for Reproductive Health Care
Services Fund is hereby created in the General Fund. Upon
appropriation by the Legislature, moneys in the fund are available
for the administration of the program established pursuant to this
chapter.
(e) Upon filing a properly completed application, the Secretary of
State shall certify the applicant as a program participant.
Applicants, with the exception of reproductive health care services
facilities volunteers, shall be certified for four years following
the date of filing unless the certification is withdrawn, or
invalidated before that date. Reproductive health care services
facility volunteers shall be certified until six months from the last
date of volunteering with the facility. The Secretary of State shall
by rule establish a renewal procedure. A minor program participant,
who reaches 18 years of age, may renew as an adult following the
renewal procedures established by the Secretary of State.
(f) A person who falsely attests in an application that disclosure
of the applicant's address would endanger the applicant's safety or
the safety of the applicant's family or the minor or incapacitated
person on whose behalf the application is made, or who knowingly
provides false or incorrect information upon making an application,
is guilty of a misdemeanor. A notice shall be printed in bold type
and in a conspicuous location on the face of the application
informing the applicant of the penalties under this subdivision.