All information reported to or otherwise obtained by the chief or representatives of the chief in connection with any inspection or proceeding of the division that contains or that might reveal a trade secret referred to in Section 1905 of Title 18 of the United States Code, or other information that is confidential pursuant to Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code, shall be considered confidential, except that this information may be disclosed to other officers or employees of the division concerned with carrying out the purposes of the division or when relevant in any proceeding of the division. The appeals board, standards board, the courts, or the director shall in that type of proceeding issue orders as may be appropriate to protect the confidentiality of trade secrets. Violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 615, Sec. 325. (AB 474) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 463 of Stats. 2021, Ch. 615.)