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-Editorial
State Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) introduced Senate Bill 420 today, a legislative effort aimed at establishing a framework for balancing the technological, economic, and societal benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) while implementing consumer protections.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into various sectors, concerns have grown regarding the lack of oversight and safeguards governing its use. Currently, private companies developing AI technology set their own protections and standards. SB 420 seeks to establish a regulatory structure that prioritizes human rights, fairness, transparency, and accountability.
The proposed legislation follows national efforts to regulate AI. In October 2023, President Joe Biden introduced an executive order on the “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence,” which outlined guidelines to balance AI’s potential benefits while safeguarding civil rights and consumer interests. Prior to that, the administration released a Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, which identified five key principles, including protections against unsafe systems, algorithmic discrimination, and abusive data practices.
However, in January 2025, President Donald Trump rescinded Biden’s executive order, effectively rolling back federal AI protections. Critics argue this decision weakens U.S. leadership in responsible AI development and raises concerns about increased risks related to bias, income inequality, and market concentration.
Senator Padilla emphasized the need for state action in light of federal policy changes. “California has a proud heritage as a home for technological vision while enforcing ethical, safe standards in concert with those values, not in opposition,” he said. “However, federal mismanagement has left the public vulnerable to the dangers AI poses. California must step in to provide guiderails that create common-sense consumer protections while still fostering innovation.”
SB 420 outlines the intent of the legislature to develop a California AI Bill of Rights, setting a foundation for state-level AI regulations. This initiative aligns with Padilla’s ongoing work on AI-related issues, including Senate Bill 243, introduced earlier this month, which aims to protect children from predatory chatbot practices.
Senate Bill 243 is supported researchers working on the forefront of the intersection of AI and consumers as well as advocates for child welfare.
“We have growing reasons to be concerned about the risks that relational chatbots pose to the health of minors,” said Dr. Jodi Halpern, MD, PhD, UC Berkeley Professor of Bioethics & Co-Director of the Kavli Center for Ethics, Science and the Public. “We would never allow minors to be exposed to products that could harm them without safety testing and guardrails. This is the first bill we are aware of nationally to take an important first step toward creating those guardrails through safety monitoring. We commend Senator Padilla for bringing multiple stakeholders to the table to proactively address this emerging issue.”
“The Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law applauds Senator Padilla for introducing SB 243, a bill that rightly seeks to prevent the two absolute worst aspects of the AI-chatbot menace to children’s safety: children being duped into thinking they are talking to a real person and children being manipulated by profit-at-all-costs Big Tech into becoming, against their will, addictied to spending time with AI fake people not programmed to look out for the best interests of children instead of their real friends and family.” – Ed Howard, Senior Counsel to the Children’s Advocacy Institute, which recently penned an op-ed about the dangers of companion chatbots.
“With nearly half of U.S. adolescents experiencing mental health challenges and suicide ranking as the second leading cause of death for youth aged 10–24, the risks of unregulated AI engagement cannot be ignored,” said Ria Babaria, Mental Health Policy Director at Youth Power Project.“As chatbots become more sophisticated, vulnerable young people may turn to them for reassurance about their struggles, emotions, or even harmful thoughts, without youth recognizing the lack of human oversight and accountability. This bill is a critical step in ensuring AI does not manipulate engagement, promote harmful interactions, or replace real human support. If AI is going to exist in these spaces, we must regulate it because protecting youth mental health needs to come first.”
“We are proud to support Senator Padilla in establishing strong guardrails for generative AI chatbot companions, which increasingly shape – and potentially harm – young people’s lives,” said Amina Fazlullah, Head of Tech Policy Advocacy for Common Sense Media. “SB 243 includes provisions that will bring much-needed transparency to the risks associated with this technology, and ultimately help the public better understand and address the profound impact that AI-driven, human-like interactions can have on developing minds.”
