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California Passes 26 AI Bills, Including $1M Liability

9/2/2026

Summary

California Passes AI

California Legislature passed 26 AI-related bills, including a ban on addictive social-media features for users under 16.
AB 1709 bars autoplay videos and personalized feeds for under-16 users.
AB 2 makes platforms liable up to $1 million per child for negligent harm.
SB 1119 adds age-verification, child-safety rules and platform liability to the state’s chatbot law.
SB 813, authored by Sen. Jerry McNerney, requires independent AI-safety verification bodies by Jan. 1 2028.

Summary

California Lawmakers Approve

The California Senate and Assembly approved AB 2319, voting 33-5 and 72-2 respectively.
Hollywood unions delivered roughly 450,000 letters to legislators urging a fix to the $5 million tax-credit cap.
U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social backing a federal film tax incentive, calling Hollywood a disaster.
Governor Gavin Newsom must decide on AB 2319 before September, with lawmakers ready to allocate at least $10 million.

History

Historical Context

In 1998, the U.S. Congress enacted the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), mandating parental consent for data collection from children under 13. The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces COPPA, levied $2.5 million in penalties during its first decade, underscoring nationwide federal enforcement power. California’s 2024 AI-related bills and AB 2319 film-tax incentive mirror COPPA’s child-safety precedent, expanding liability to platforms and allocating state subsidies to the entertainment sector. The combined regulatory and fiscal approach foreshadows nationwide adoption, pressuring tech firms and studios to embed compliance costs into product design and budgeting.

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California Passes AI

California Legislature passed 26 AI-related bills, including a ban on addictive social-media features for users under 16.
AB 1709 bars autoplay videos and personalized feeds for under-16 users.
AB 2 makes platforms liable up to $1 million per child for negligent harm.
SB 1119 adds age-verification, child-safety rules and platform liability to the state’s chatbot law.
SB 813, authored by Sen. Jerry McNerney, requires independent AI-safety verification bodies by Jan. 1 2028.

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