Particle.news
Download on the App Store

California Lawmakers Press AI Guardrails, Defying Trump Order Threatening State Rules

California’s new session centers on child‑safety and transparency bills under escalating industry pressure.

Overview

  • President Trump’s Dec. 11 executive order set up a DOJ AI Litigation Task Force and urged withholding broadband funds from states that enact AI regulations.
  • California’s legislature returned Jan. 5 with plans to advance measures focused on minors’ safety, including a renewed push to bar children from using “companion” chatbots.
  • Specific proposals include SB 300 to prevent chatbots from providing sexually explicit content to minors and a planned four‑year moratorium on AI‑chatbot toys sold to minors.
  • Lawmakers are also weighing AB 412 to require disclosure of copyrighted training data, a Hollywood‑backed bill that tech allies say could cost the state at least $381 million in revenue.
  • The fight extends to voters and campaign spending, with Common Sense Media and OpenAI pursuing competing ballot measures and Meta seeding a $20 million super PAC, as AI‑driven withholdings deliver about $10 billion to California’s treasury.