2010 California Code
Civil Code
Article 2. Definitions

1798.3.  As used in this chapter:
   (a) The term "personal information" means any information that is
maintained by an agency that identifies or describes an individual,
including, but not limited to, his or her name, social security
number, physical description, home address, home telephone number,
education, financial matters, and medical or employment history. It
includes statements made by, or attributed to, the individual.
   (b) The term "agency" means every state office, officer,
department, division, bureau, board, commission, or other state
agency, except that the term agency shall not include:
   (1) The California Legislature.
   (2) Any agency established under Article VI of the California
Constitution.
   (3) The State Compensation Insurance Fund, except as to any
records which contain personal information about the employees of the
State Compensation Insurance Fund.
   (4) A local agency, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 6252
of the Government Code.
   (c) The term "disclose" means to disclose, release, transfer,
disseminate, or otherwise communicate all or any part of any record
orally, in writing, or by electronic or any other means to any person
or entity.
   (d) The term "individual" means a natural person.
   (e) The term "maintain" includes maintain, acquire, use, or
disclose.
   (f) The term "person" means any natural person, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, firm, or association.
   (g) The term "record" means any file or grouping of information
about an individual that is maintained by an agency by reference to
an identifying particular such as the individual's name, photograph,
finger or voice print, or a number or symbol assigned to the
individual.
   (h) The term "system of records" means one or more records, which
pertain to one or more individuals, which is maintained by any
agency, from which information is retrieved by the name of an
individual or by some identifying number, symbol or other identifying
particular assigned to the individual.
   (i) The term "governmental entity," except as used in Section
1798.26, means any branch of the federal government or of the local
government.
   (j) The term "commercial purpose" means any purpose which has
financial gain as a major objective. It does not include the
gathering or dissemination of newsworthy facts by a publisher or
broadcaster.
   (k) The term "regulatory agency" means the Department of Financial
Institutions, the Department of Corporations, the Department of
Insurance, the Department of Real Estate, and agencies of the United
States or of any other state responsible for regulating financial
institutions.