CaliforniaCalifornia removes audience cutoff for makers of publicly available generative AI
California removed the audience cutoff for makers of public generative AI systems, while exempting systems mainly helping people with disabilities before 2029.
What it does
The law removes its audience cutoff for makers of publicly accessible generative AI systems in California. Some video game products remain exempt, and certain disability support systems are temporarily exempt.
For images, video, and audio their AI creates or alters, makers must say in a hard-to-remove marker which happened, when technically possible. Minor alterations alone do not trigger the rule.
Systems designed mainly to help people with disabilities are exempt before January 1, 2029. Makers who falsely claim that purpose can face a $50,000 penalty per violation under a provision repealed that day.
Makers no longer have to offer users a choice to add a separate AI disclosure to images, video, or audio their systems create or alter.
Argument forPeople could check more AI-made media because the free verification tool requirement now reaches makers with fewer users, apart from exempt systems.
Argument againstCreators might lose a way to identify their AI-made media because makers no longer have to offer a choice to add a separate disclosure.
More detail
The law removes the audience cutoff for makers covered by its AI disclosure rules. The rules cover makers of generative AI systems publicly accessible in California. Products offering only video games without user-made content are exempt. Systems designed mainly to help people with disabilities are exempt before January 1, 2029. The audience cutoff was removed when the act took effect on September 30, 2026.
Makers must add whether their AI system created or altered content to the required marker. This covers images, video, and audio created or altered by a covered maker's AI system. The marker is required only when technically possible. Minor modifications, such as cropping, do not count as alterations that trigger the marker rule on their own. The added marker information has been required since September 30, 2026.
The law temporarily exempts certain disability support AI systems and bars makers from falsely claiming that purpose. The exemption applies only to generative AI systems designed mainly to help people with disabilities. State or local government lawyers can seek a $50,000 civil penalty per violation through a lawsuit for a false claim. The exemption ends on January 1, 2029, when the special $50,000 penalty provision is repealed.
Makers no longer have to offer users a choice to add a separate AI disclosure. This change covers images, video, and audio created or altered by a covered maker's AI system. A separate hard-to-remove marker is still required for covered content when technically possible, except when the AI only makes a minor modification. The requirement was removed when the act took effect on September 30, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 861, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 30Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 2Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 27Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 6021.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB1000 Becker Urgency Clause Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 25In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 1000 Becker Third Reading Urgency By Wicks. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 25Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 6517.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 21Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Read third time and amended.Major
- Aug 21Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended. (Ayes 55. Noes 17. Page 6296.)
- Jul 2Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 1).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 17From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (June 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 16
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 9From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.Major
- May 26Referred to Com. on P. & C.P.Minor
- May 20In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- May 19Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 33. Noes 1. Page 4345.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading (Urgency Clause). Result: pass.Upper
- May 14Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 4260.) (May 14).Minor
- May 8Set for hearing May 14.
- Apr 27April 27 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 17Set for hearing April 27.
- Apr 14From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 1. Page 3843.) (April 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 13Set for hearing April 13.
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 26From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P., D.T., & C.P.Major
- Feb 18Referred to Com. on P., D.T., & C.P.Minor
- Feb 10From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 12.
- Feb 9Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced
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