Bauer-Kahan Urges Newsom to Sign Chatbot Bill After AI Comments
California Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D) and consumer advocates on Friday said they’re optimistic Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will sign child online safety legislation after his remarks this week about regulating AI technology.
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Bauer-Kahan spoke in support of her AB-1064 during a Common Sense Media event (see 2509150053). The bill would prohibit children from accessing companion chatbots unless the bots are incapable of engaging in sexually explicit interaction or encouraging self-harm. The Leading Ethical AI Development (LEAD) for Kids Act, also requires parental consent for using kids’ personal information in AI training.
Newsom told former President Bill Clinton during a Clinton Foundation event this week that there’s a bill on his desk “we think strikes the right balance. And we worked with industry, but we didn’t submit to industry. We’re not doing things to them, but we’re not doing things necessarily for them. And we’re trying to answer that question from a policy perspective and find that right balance where we can continue to dominate in this space.”
Without identifying specific legislation, Newsom noted he has signed “dozens” of bills in the AI space and signed an executive order. His office didn’t comment Friday.
Newsom made “remarkable statements this week” about California “leading” where the federal government is failing to lead, said Bauer-Kahan, who chairs the Assembly Privacy Committee. AB-1064 is “without a doubt the clearest way that we can lead” on child safety issues. She said she fully expects a legal challenge from the tech industry but believes California will prevail. Courts have established that chatbot-assisted suicide isn’t protected speech, she said.
Common Sense Media CEO Jim Steyer said he met with Newsom this week and respects that he’s “feeling incredible pressure from the tech industry.” Common Sense “really respects the challenges he faces when you have the wealthiest companies in the history of the world threatening to move out of California,” said Steyer.
“I don’t think this is politically hard,” said Bauer-Kahan. “The easy decision is to stand with the people of California. As I always say, [Meta CEO] Mark Zuckerberg gets one vote, and so does every other Californian. And there’s no question the vast majority of Californians want their children protected.”
Bauer-Kahan also urged signing of AB-56, which would require warning labels on social media platforms, an idea endorsed by former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.