[Sacramento, CA] A comprehensive package of legislation authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan has successfully cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee and is headed to the Senate floor for consideration. The advancing bills address critical issues, including AI child safety, women's healthcare equity, social media mental health warnings, and automated decision system transparency, positioning California to maintain its leadership on technology policy and public health protection.
AB 56 - Social Media Mental Health Warning Labels Responding to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's call for safety warnings on social media platforms, this bill requires platforms to display mental health warning labels to users, particularly addressing the mental health crisis among young people who spend excessive time on social media
AB 432 - Menopause Care Equity Act AB 432 codifies treatment options and coverage for perimenopause and menopause, ensuring that quality menopause care isn't a privilege of wealth or demographics.
AB 1018 - Automated Decisions Safety Act (ADSA) This comprehensive bill establishes necessary guardrails for automated decision systems used in consequential decisions affecting housing, employment, healthcare, and criminal justice. AB 1018 requires pre-deployment testing, consumer notification, and appeals processes to prevent discriminatory outcomes and ensure transparency.
AB 1064 - LEAD for Kids Act (AI Child Safety) legislation takes urgent action to protect children from dangerous AI applications, including emotionally manipulative "companion" chatbots that have already caused devastating harm to children and families. The bill addresses AI systems that can manipulate children's emotions, create harmful attachments, or encourage dangerous behaviors including self-harm.
The advancing legislation demonstrates California's continued commitment to addressing emerging challenges while protecting vulnerable populations. These bills will now proceed to the full Senate for consideration, bringing California closer to enacting comprehensive protections that other states are already implementing.
"Today's committee action shows that California remains committed to leading on the issues that matter most to our families," said Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan. "From protecting our children from AI harms to ensuring women receive equitable healthcare, these bills represent our values and our vision for California's future."
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