CA SB911

Creates the California Board to Fund Public Interest Media, a 15-member board appointed by legislative leaders and the Governor, to award grants supporting local news coverage and public interest journalism if funded by legislative appropriation or private donations.

Board must encourage independent local news coverage, establish grant criteria based on journalistic standards, and allocate at least 25 percent of funds to ethnic-owned news organizations and 25 percent to local news organizations with general audiences.

Requires the board to accept public comment on grant applications before approval, provide technical assistance to applicants, conduct outreach to underserved communities, and submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature on grant awards and recipients.

Establishes the California Fund for Public Interest Media to receive federal grants and private donations; board members earning $100 per meeting with quorum of eight members required for board action.

Provisions expire January 1, 2028; members must adhere to conflict-of-interest rules and the board must operate transparently under the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.