Newsom Signs ‘Stop Nick Shirley’ Bill Into Law Amid Widespread Fraud Findings

Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio became one of the measure’s most vocal opponents, arguing during committee hearings and floor debates that the legislation will chill independent investigations of nonprofit organizations and other entities receiving taxpayer money.

DeMaio dubbed the legislation the “Stop Nick Shirley Act.”

Shirley has similarly argued that the measure could make it more difficult for independent journalists to investigate organizations receiving public funds.

Shirley’s initial December 2025 investigation focused heavily on Minneapolis child care centers receiving taxpayer money through Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP.

In the viral video, Shirley visited multiple facilities and questioned whether the level of activity he observed matched their licensing capacity and the substantial amounts of public funding they received.

One of the most prominent locations was Quality Learning Center, whose exterior sign famously misspelled “Learning” as “Learing.” Shirley highlighted locked doors, a largely empty parking lot and what he said was an apparent lack of children during his visit.

State records later showed that Quality Learning Center received approximately $1.9 million through CCAP during fiscal 2025.