CA AB 2169 (Lowenthal) Digital Choice Act (Data Portability & Interoperability)
Requires social media companies and AI model operators to provide consumers with portable copies of their data and implement transparent interoperability interfaces based on open protocols. KCA ContextPlatform lock-in (when it becomes impractical to leave harmful platforms) is not a neutral technology problem. Low-income users, communities of color, and other underrepresented groups are disproportionately reliant […]
CA AB 2155 (Aguiar-Curry) Forced Arbitration Justice and Conformity Act
Makes arbitration agreements unenforceable under California law to the extent they would not be enforceable under the Federal Arbitration Act, incorporating federal exclusions for sexual assault and harassment claims. KCA ContextWorkers and survivors in California should not have fewer protections than federal law provides. Forced arbitration silences the people who most need the ability to […]
CA AB 2148 (Muratsuchi) Educator AI/EdTech Opt-Out and ADS Protection
Protects school personnel from retaliation for refusing to use edtech and from adverse employment actions based on the outputs of AI-driven employee evaluation systems. KCA ContextADS bias disproportionately affects educators of color, educators with disabilities, and educators in under-resourced schools who are more likely to work in districts adopting lower-cost edtech and employee evaluation systems […]
CA AB 1958 (Kalra) Racial Justice Act Amendments
Strengthens the California Racial Justice Act by broadening the kinds of evidence that can be used to establish a disparity claim, extending coverage to plea negotiations and diversion, and streamlining data disclosure. KCA ContextDespite the Legislature’s intent in passing the RJA in 2020, procedural barriers have limited its impact. This bill removes those barriers so […]
CA AB 1864 (Berman) Gene Synthesis Safety
Requires gene synthesis providers and benchtop equipment manufacturers in California to screen orders against federal pathogen sequence frameworks. KCA ContextBiosecurity is a consumer protection issue. Without screening requirements, dangerous genetic sequences can be ordered online with no verification, creating risks that fall disproportionately on communities with fewer resources to respond to biological threats.
CA AB 1776 (Aguiar-Curry) COMPETE Act
Modernizes the Cartwright Act to address single-firm anticompetitive conduct and ensure California’s antitrust laws reflect today’s economic realities. Codifies the unanimous recommendations of the California Law Revision Commission following three years of expert study. KCA ContextMarket concentration in tech means a handful of firms control the platforms billions rely on for communication, commerce, and employment. […]
CA AB 1577 (Bauer-Kahan) Data Center Energy and Water Reporting
Requires data center owners to submit monthly reports to the California Energy Commission on energy consumption, water usage, and efficiency metrics. KCA ContextData centers are rapidly proliferating with no standardized transparency requirements. Communities near proposed facilities, often lower-income and communities of color, deserve baseline information to participate meaningfully in land use decisions.
CA AB 1542 (Ward) Sensitive Personal Information Sale/Sharing Prohibition
Prohibits the sale or sharing of consumers’ sensitive personal information to third parties under the CCPA, strengthening existing right-to-limit provisions. KCA ContextCurrent law places the burden on consumers to opt out of sensitive data sales. This bill flips that default, which matters most for communities that lack the time, resources, or digital literacy to navigate […]
CA AB 1159 (Addis) California Learner Personal Information Protection Act (CALPIPA)
Modernizes student data privacy protections and extends them to all California students from preschool through university, including prohibiting AI training on student data and protecting sensitive categories like immigration status and reproductive health. KCA ContextCalifornia’s 2.9 million college and university students lack the comprehensive privacy protections that K-12 students have had since 2014. EdTech use […]
CA AB 1018 (Bauer-Kahan) Automated Decisions Safety Act
Regulates developers and deployers of automated decision systems used for consequential decisions in employment, housing, education, health care, and criminal justice. Requires impact assessments, independent audits, and gives individuals rights to notice, correction, and appeal. KCA ContextAlgorithmic discrimination in high-stakes decisions is one of the clearest equity issues in technology today. Lending models are twice […]