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California Legislature Passes Bill to Ban AI Tracking of Worker Neural Data

California Legislature Passes Bill to Ban AI Tracking of Worker Neural Data

The California State Assembly has passed Assembly Bill (AB) 1883, which aims to restrict businesses' use of artificial intelligence tools for monitoring workers' nervous systems and emotional states. This legislation is now awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom's signature. The bill's passage comes as California lawmakers are actively addressing the increasing integration of AI technologies in the workplace, particularly concerning employee surveillance. While states have generally enacted few laws regulating AI in employment decisions or personnel management, Illinois has limited AI-analyzed video interviews in hiring, and Maryland has placed restrictions on facial recognition technology. AB 1883 represents a significant step in California's efforts to establish legal frameworks around the ethical use of AI in professional environments, focusing on protecting employee privacy and well-being from advanced AI monitoring capabilities.

EFF Urges Governor Newsom to Veto California's AB 1709, Citing Free Speech and Privacy Concerns

EFF Urges Governor Newsom to Veto California's AB 1709, Citing Free Speech and Privacy Concerns

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is urging Governor Gavin Newsom to veto Assembly Bill 1709 (A.B. 1709), a recently passed California legislation that would ban social media use for individuals under the age of 16. The EFF argues that while well-intentioned, the bill is deeply flawed and would cut young people off from essential information and experiences, particularly harming vulnerable and marginalized youth who rely on online communities for support. The bill aims to prohibit platforms from offering virtually every functional recommendation algorithm and basic input, such as who a user follows or what posts they like, to those under 16. The EFF contends that these features are fundamental to how online services operate and that labeling them as 'addictive' relies on generalizations about youth social media use. They also warn that the bill would lead to massive privacy and free speech issues, forcing platforms to implement invasive age-verification methods like government IDs or biometric scann...

California Lawmakers Pass Key Bills on Energy, AI, and Wildfire Liability as Session Concludes

California Lawmakers Pass Key Bills on Energy, AI, and Wildfire Liability as Session Concludes

California lawmakers have concluded their legislative session, passing several significant bills covering energy, artificial intelligence, and wildfire liability. In the energy sector, legislation was approved to allow consumers to install solar panels without an interconnection agreement with utility providers, a move aimed at promoting plug-in solar technology. Bills were also passed to accelerate the installation of heat pumps in homes and advance fusion energy development. Regarding artificial intelligence, a new bill prohibits the knowing use of AI to falsely represent a real person engaging with a government agency, addressing concerns about AI's impact on civic engagement. Additionally, legislative leaders announced a deal on wildfires sparked by utility companies. This agreement establishes a program for quicker damage claim payments, prevents short-term bonuses for utility CEOs responsible for fires, and limits attorneys seeking to represent victims. Governor Gavin Newsom had sought additional pro...

California lawmakers pass bill allowing people to identify their Jewish ancestry on state forms

California lawmakers pass bill allowing people to identify their Jewish ancestry on state forms

Lawmakers in California have passed a bill that would require state agencies that collect demographic information to allow people to identify their Jewish identity

California Lawmakers Advance Social Media and Law Enforcement Bills on Final Legislative Day

California Lawmakers Advance Social Media and Law Enforcement Bills on Final Legislative Day

California lawmakers are concluding their legislative session with a push to pass several key bills. Among these is Assembly Bill 1709, which has garnered bipartisan support and aims to restrict social media platforms from using addictive features on users under the age of 16. This bill also proposes the creation of an e-Safety Advisory Commission to guide the state attorney general on online safety matters. Another significant piece of legislation, Senate Bill 1105, introduced by State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, seeks to prevent state law enforcement agencies from entering interagency agreements unless they include provisions against racial or identity profiling. Additionally, Assembly Bill 2760, authored by Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins, proposes to ban law enforcement from using electroshock devices and from purchasing such equipment, while also mandating a state study on these devices by January 2029. Other bills include Assembly Bill 2727, which modifies the state's elderly parole program, and S...

California Legislature Passes Bills to Expand Solar Access for Renters Amid Utility Opposition

California Legislature Passes Bills to Expand Solar Access for Renters Amid Utility Opposition

The California Legislature has passed two bills, AB 1813 and SB 868, aimed at significantly increasing access to small-scale solar energy for renters and others who cannot install traditional rooftop solar. AB 1813, the Community Renewable Energy Program Act, is a third attempt to mandate the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to develop a more robust community solar program, allowing residents to subscribe to local solar arrays and receive discounted electricity bills. SB 868 legalizes 'balcony solar' systems, enabling individuals to install small panels on patios or fences and plug them directly into outlets to lower bills without utility permissions. These legislative efforts follow a period of decline in rooftop solar installations in California after the CPUC reduced incentives in 2022, a move supported by utility companies.

California Lawmakers Pass Film Credit Fix on Tax Cap

California Lawmakers Pass Film Credit Fix on Tax Cap

The California Legislature has approved a budget fix for the entertainment industry that allows studios to cash in their tax credits faster. Both the Assembly and state Senate passed the bill, SB 186, before the end-of-session deadline of midnight on Monday. The measure seeks to address concerns raised by Hollywood stakeholders after the Legislature imposed […]

Social media companies are trying harder to know which users are kids

Social media companies are trying harder to know which users are kids

Determining which accounts belong to children is the linchpin of online child safety measures that Meta, Google, TikTok, Roblox and other companies are ramping up as public and regulatory sentiment increasingly turns against them

California Bill AB 1883 Proposes Ban on AI-Powered Workplace Surveillance Tools

California Bill AB 1883 Proposes Ban on AI-Powered Workplace Surveillance Tools

California's Assembly Bill 1883 (AB 1883) seeks to prohibit employers from using certain artificial intelligence-powered workplace surveillance tools. The bill specifically targets tools that collect neural data or recognize an individual's emotional state. This prohibition would apply to a wide range of employers, including governmental entities such as charter cities and the University of California. The bill outlines exceptions for specific operations where the use of such tools is deemed reasonably necessary to comply with federal statutes, regulations, or binding federal contracts related to aircraft development for national airspace or products/services for national security, military, space, or defense purposes. The Labor Commissioner or a public prosecutor would be authorized to enforce the bill's provisions, with violations subject to a civil penalty of up to $500 per instance.

California Legislature Passes Bill Banning Public Officials from Issuing Memecoins

California Legislature Passes Bill Banning Public Officials from Issuing Memecoins

The California Legislature has unanimously passed Assembly Bill (AB) 2409, which prohibits public officials and employees in the state from issuing their own memecoins. The bill, introduced by Democratic Assemblyman Avelino Valencia, defines a memecoin broadly as a digital asset inspired by internet memes, characters, news events, or trends, where the promoter seeks to attract an enthusiastic online community. The legislation passed both chambers without opposition, with votes of 77-0 in the Assembly and 40-0 in the Senate. It now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom's signature to become law. If signed, the measure will take effect on January 1, 2027, and will also require digital asset service providers to remove memecoins launched by public officials from their listings for California residents.

Social media companies are trying harder to know which users are kids

Social media companies are trying harder to know which users are kids

Determining which accounts belong to children is the linchpin of online child safety measures that Meta, Google, TikTok, Roblox and other companies are ramping up as public and regulatory sentiment increasingly turns against them

California Legislature Passes Bills Banning Child Marriage and Empowering Forced Union Victims

California Legislature Passes Bills Banning Child Marriage and Empowering Forced Union Victims

California's state legislature has passed two significant bills aimed at addressing child marriage and forced unions. Assembly Bill 1267 (AB 1267) seeks to establish an absolute ban on child marriage by removing the legal provisions that currently allow individuals under 18 to obtain a marriage license or enter a domestic partnership with parental or guardian consent and court approval. This bill, if signed into law, would make California the 18th state in the U.S. to completely prohibit child marriage. Concurrently, Assembly Bill 2534 (AB 2534) aims to protect individuals from forced marriages by integrating forced marriage into the state's Domestic Violence Prevention Act. This would enable victims to secure civil restraining orders against anyone involved in coercing, facilitating, or arranging an unwanted union, regardless of the legal validity of the marriage. The legislation defines forced marriage as a spousal relationship where one or both parties cannot or do not consent and are compelled through ...