California Code, Penal Code - PEN § 14231.5

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the Department of Justice shall make information that is maintained in the California Restraining and Protective Order System or any other data relating to prohibitions on firearm ownership, available to researchers affiliated with the California Firearm Violence Research Center at UC Davis upon proper request and following approval by the center's governing institutional review board when required.  At the department's discretion, the information may be provided to any other nonprofit bona fide research institution accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation for the study of the prevention of violence and following approval by the institution's governing institutional review board or human subjects committee when required.  Information may only be used for academic and policy research purposes.  Any material identifying individuals shall not be transferred, revealed, or used for other than research or statistical activities and reports or publications derived therefrom shall not identify specific individuals.

(b) Where material described in subdivision (a) that identifies individuals is necessary for the center to conduct research, that material shall be provided.  Material identifying individuals shall only be provided for research or statistical activities and shall not be revealed or used for purposes other than research or statistical activities.  Reports or publications derived therefrom shall not identify specific individuals.  Reasonable costs to the department associated with the department's processing of that data may be billed to the researcher.  If a request for data or letter of support for research using the data is denied, the department shall provide a written statement of the specific reasons for the denial.