Amid the hundreds of new laws that took effect in California this year are those that regulate artificial intelligence
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California leaders say new state laws regulating artificial intelligence and social media companies remain fully in effect, even as the Trump administration moves to block state-level oversight in favor of a single federal standard.
Among the hundreds of new laws that took effect this month are several measures making California the first state in the nation to impose broad transparency and consumer-protection requirements on large AI platforms.
Democratic state Sens. Scott Wiener of San Francisco and Steve Padilla of San Diego, authors of some of the new laws, say federal inaction has forced states to step in.
“Congress has not shown the ability to date to pass meaningful technology policy,” Wiener said.
“It’d be a great argument if they do something,” Padilla said of the executive order.
Chair of the Senate Governmental Organization Committee — which oversees areas like AI — Padilla added, “It’s great politics, I guess, for some. It’s a stunt, where we’re concerned, it’s sort of a distraction.”
Wiener’s legislation — SB 53 — requires the largest AI companies to publicly disclose their safety and security protocols and to report serious safety incidents. Padilla’s law — SB 243 — targets what he describes as predatory “companion chatbots,” requiring platforms to clearly notify users when they are interacting with artificial intelligence rather than a human.
“These systems basically act like a human being when they’re not,” Padilla said, warning they can lead users — especially young people or those in emotional or mental crisis — into unsafe situations.
The new laws come as President Donald Trump has signed an executive order establishing a task force aimed at challenging state AI regulations and potentially penalizing states by withholding federal funding. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the status of those efforts.
Wiener said if a national standard is eventually adopted, it must be strong enough to meaningfully protect users.
“If we’re going to have one national standard, it needs to be strong and meaningful and impactful,” he said.
California lawmakers say additional legislation is already in the works. Padilla — through SB 300 — is pursuing tighter age-verification requirements and measures to ensure minors are not exposed to sexually explicit content through AI platforms.
Republican Sen. Roger Niello of Fair Oaks said he supports safeguards aimed at protecting children, which is why he supported both Padilla’s bills. Niello cautioned against regulations that could stifle innovation.
“I’m concerned with how it’s used, not how it’s developed,” Niello said. “Let’s not fool around with how tech companies develop their technology. That truly will discourage innovation.”
The debate has also moved beyond the Capitol into the hands of voters. Earlier this month, OpenAI — the parent company of ChatGPT — partnered with kids safety advocacy group Common Sense Media to advance a proposed ballot initiative known as the Parents and Kids Safe AI Act. If approved by voters, the measure would mandate age assurance, ban targeted advertising to minors, and prohibit emotional manipulation or encouragement of harmful behavior.
Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, a Democrat from San Ramon, said voter involvement may become increasingly likely if lawmakers or Congress fail to act.
“If we don’t act in California, the voters can and they will,” Bauer-Kahan said. “There’s an immense amount of consensus across party lines. I serve with parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, we all have children in our life that we love. And we are experiencing firsthand what is happening with our kids online.”
Last year, Bauer-Kahan too drafted legislation that “would have ensured safe by design chatbots for our children,” as she described it. The bill passed both houses with bipartisan support but was vetoed by the Governor. She plans on reintroducing the bill, the assemblywoman said.
Padilla is introducing another bill that targets toys with AI chatbot capabilities. The bill aims to place a four-year moratorium on the sale and manufacturing of such toys for children under 18.
The purpose, Padilla said, is to allow for more time to develop safeguards and better understand the impacts of such toys.
“Today, in the 21st century, we look at how fast and rapidly this technology is evolving, literally every day,” the senator said. “But at the same time, [AI is] not sophisticated enough to write into the programming that it can’t talk to a 12-year-old about sex.”
State leaders argue California can strike a balance between protecting consumers and fostering innovation, even as tensions grow with the federal government over who should regulate the rapidly evolving AI industry.
“We can walk and chew gum at the same time in California,” Padilla noted.
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