From a ban on cat declawing procedures to an try to guard youngsters from dangerous synthetic intelligence “companion” chatbots, the California Legislature was busy in its ultimate days of session this 12 months, shifting payments alongside to the governor.
Right here’s a have a look at simply eight of these payments that made it throughout the end line simply forward of the legislative deadline.
De-masking ICE brokers
Masked federal brokers staged outdoors a gate of Dodger Stadium on June 19, 2025. (Picture by Mario Tama/Getty Photos)
The legislature OK’d a pair of payments to ban native and federal legislation enforcement from concealing their faces with “extreme” masking.
The payments got here on the heels of elevated immigration enforcement operations, notably within the Los Angeles space, initially of the second Trump administration. They had been born amid rising considerations that a variety of supposed brokers in plain garments are arresting undocumented immigrants, sowing uncertainty amongst each detainees and witnesses who can’t inform if the people are authentic legislation enforcement officers.
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One invoice would require legislation enforcement officers to not put on face coverings, with few exceptions, together with if they’re concerned in tactical operations the place it’s required for bodily security or they’re actively undercover.
One other invoice requires legislation enforcement officers in California who will not be uniformed to visibly show identification, corresponding to a reputation or badge quantity, whereas performing duties. There are slender exceptions for this invoice, as properly.
“We have to stand up and say no to the secret police raining fear and intimidation on communities across California,” stated Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. “Law enforcement should never be easily confused with the guy in the ski mask robbing a liquor store, yet that’s what’s happening with ICE’s extreme masking.”
These payments didn’t get Republican assist.
AI chatbots security
A woman makes use of her smartphone at house in Arizona on Friday, June 16, 2023. (AP Picture/Darryl Webb)
Billed as a first-of-its-kind within the nation kind of effort, California legislators greenlit a invoice that might require AI chatbots to make sure there are safeguards in place to guard those that use it — and to present households authorized recourse in opposition to builders deemed to be noncompliant and negligent.
The invoice from Sen. Steve Padilla, D-San Diego, would prohibit these chatbots from exposing youngsters to sexually express materials and require reminders that the service is generated by AI, not an actual individual. It could additionally require the businesses to place in place procedures to handle suicide, suicidal ideation and self-harm.
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“This technology can be a powerful educational and research tool, but left to their own devices, the tech industry is incentivized to capture young people’s attention and hold it at the expense of their real-world relationships,” Padilla stated on the Senate ground earlier than the invoice’s passage. “These companies have the ability to lead the world in innovation, but it is our responsibility to ensure it doesn’t come at the expense of our children’s health.”
Dad and mom of an Orange County teenager lately sued OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, alleging that the AI chatbot helped their son die by suicide.
The invoice had some bipartisan assist.
Combatting antisemitism in colleges
Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, D-West Hollywood, is among the authors of a invoice handed by the California Legislature that’s meant to fight antisemitism within the state’s colleges. (Hector Amezcua/The Sacramento Bee/TNS)
With pretty broad bipartisan assist, a invoice meant to fight antisemitism in California colleges was despatched to the governor.
The invoice — after present process many adjustments within the legislative course of — creates a brand new Workplace of Civil Rights and establishes an antisemitism prevention coordinator place in that workplace, who can be chargeable for consulting and offering schooling on antisemitism and methods to deal with it with educators.
It doesn’t require any particular studying provisions associated to Israel or the Israel-Palestine battle, but it surely does stipulate that instruction should be factually correct with none opinion, bias or partisanship.
“This bill is about affirming safe and supportive learning environments consistent with our state’s values,” stated Assemblymembers Daybreak Addis, D-Morro Bay, and Rick Chavez Zbur, D-West Hollywood, joint authors of the invoice. “The classroom must be a welcoming environment that contributes to the child’s academic well-being.”
The invoice counted quite a few Jewish organizations amongst its supporters, in addition to town of Beverly Hills, the Hindu American Basis and the Los Angeles County Enterprise Federation.
Opposition included the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Culver Metropolis Democratic Membership and the San Bernardino County Younger Democrats.
Protections for cell house house owners
A cell house park is destroyed alongside Pacific Coast Freeway through the Palisades Hearth on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, CA. ..(Picture by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The legislature agreed to a invoice meant to assist house owners of cell houses within the aftermath of disasters.
From Sen. Brian Jones, R-San Diego, the invoice offers cell house house owners the flexibility to accumulate full alternative value insurance coverage insurance policies for his or her houses. No insurance coverage firm in California presents full value protection, based on Jones’ workplace, and the invoice ensures that California’s FAIR Plan gives that full protection.
“Mobile home owners should not be treated like second-rate citizens when it comes to protecting their property,” stated Jones. “A home is a home, and nobody should have to live with the fear that when disaster strikes, they won’t be able to rebuild.”
The invoice was backed by Insurance coverage Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who stated there wouldn’t be an extra pressure on the FAIR Plan’s assets as a result of it’s clarifying that this system gives “the same basic property insurance as other homeowners.”
Funding the high-speed rail undertaking
A rendering reveals a high-speed rail practice because it enters a station throughout an informational open home by the California Excessive-Pace Rail Authority on the Hilton DoubleTree in downtown Fresno on Could 1, 2024. (Craig Kohlruss/The Fresno Bee/TNS)
On the ultimate day of periods, legislators agreed to allocate $1 billion annually from the state’s cap-and-trade program to fund the high-speed rail undertaking.
“For everyone who has fought to see this project succeed, this long-term funding will provide stability for the project and ensure consistent financing for decades to come,” stated Sen. Dave Cortese, a Silicon Valley Democrat and chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.
Ezra Silk, a spokesperson for U.S. Excessive Pace Rail, a coalition that helps the undertaking, stated the funding would allow the completion of an preliminary phase within the Central Valley and invite non-public funding. Subsequent up, Silk stated, is securing funding to attach the rail to main metropolitan areas.
The Trump administration, which has lengthy derided the rail undertaking, earlier this 12 months pulled about $4 billion in unspent federal cash for the undertaking. And a congressional committee in August launched an investigation into the high-speed rail undertaking, probing whether or not value and ridership estimates had been “misrepresented” with a purpose to safe federal funding.
Wholesome meals for youngsters
California legislators handed a invoice that might guarantee chain eating places provide not less than one wholesome meal choice for youths. (AP Picture/J Pat Carter)
Receiving broad bipartisan assist was laws from Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson, D-San Diego, to require chain eating places to serve not less than one wholesome meal for youngsters. Eating places would designate the wholesome choice with a logo on their menus, the invoice stipulates.
“I am deeply committed to ensuring that all children in California have access to healthy meals that support their growth and development,” Weber Pierson stated within the invoice’s evaluation. “As a physician, I’ve seen the alarming impact of poor nutrition on children’s health, and as a mother, I know how challenging it can be to find healthy options when dining out.”
The invoice counted the American Diabetes Affiliation and the American Coronary heart Affiliation amongst its supporters, and it had no opposition on file.
Fines for giant social media corporations
Sen. Henry Stern is spearheading a invoice meant to make massive social media corporations guarantee its customers will not be violating California’s civil rights and hate crimes legal guidelines. (Picture by David Crane, Los Angeles Day by day Information/SCNG)
Giant social media corporations that don’t stop somebody from actively violating California’s civil rights and hate crime legal guidelines might be held accountable if the governor OKs laws from Sen. Henry Stern, D-Los Angeles.
These social media corporations may face penalties of as much as $1 million, SB 771 stipulates.
The invoice “tries to clarify in law that corporations, especially social media platforms, are subject to the same laws when it comes to aiding and abetting hate crimes that regular individual people are,” Stern stated throughout a committee listening to.
He stated the invoice clarifies that California’s civil rights and hate crimes legal guidelines are relevant to massive social media platforms and establishes penalties meant “to deter the incitement, aiding and abetting of hate crimes that we know are on the rise.”
The invoice handed alongside social gathering strains, with Republicans both voting in opposition to it or not voting in any respect. It was opposed by free speech teams.
Ban on declawing cats
Los Angeles residents Cooper (left) and Kiki (proper) relaxation after a protracted day of scratching toys and furnishings. The California Legislature handed a invoice this 12 months banning the apply of declawing cats except a veterinarian deems it to be medically crucial. (Picture by Kaitlyn Schallhorn/Orange County Register)
With bipartisan assist, legislators permitted a invoice that might largely ban declawing cats.
Spearheaded by Assemblymember Alex Lee, D-Milpitas, the invoice bans the apply of declawing cats except a veterinarian deems it medically crucial to guard the animal’s well being. Declawing is already prohibited in a number of California cities, based on Lee’s workplace, together with in West Hollywood, and the invoice expands the ban statewide.
“Mutilating healthy cats for human convenience is cruel and inhumane,” stated Lee. “Cat declawing is a permanent disfiguring surgery that’s equivalent to removing a person’s fingers at the top knuckle, and this barbaric procedure causes lifelong pain.”
