AB 1064: Leading Ethical AI Development (LEAD) for Kids Act.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

The California AI Transparency Act requires a person that creates, codes, or otherwise produces a generative artificial intelligence system that has over 1,000,000 monthly visitors or users and is publicly accessible within the geographic boundaries of the state to make available an AI detection tool at no cost to the user that, among other things, allows a user to assess whether image, video, or audio content, or content that is any combination thereof, was created or altered by the covered provider’s generative artificial intelligence system. The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 prohibits certain businesses from selling or sharing the personal information of consumers if the business has actual knowledge that the consumer is less than 16 years of age, unless the consumer, if the consumer is at least 13 years of age and less than 16 years of age, or the consumer’s parent or guardian, if the consumer is less than 13 years of age, has affirmatively authorized the sale or sharing of the consumer’s personal information.

This bill, the Leading Ethical AI Development (LEAD) for Kids Act, would, among other things related to the use of certain artificial intelligence systems by children, prohibit a person, partnership, corporation, business entity, or state or local government agency that makes a companion chatbot available to users from making a companion chatbot available to a child unless the companion chatbot is not foreseeably capable of doing certain things that could harm a child, including encouraging the child to engage in self-harm, suicidal ideation, violence, consumption of drugs or alcohol, or disordered eating.

The act would authorize the Attorney General to recover a certain civil penalty for a violation of the bill, as prescribed. The act would authorize a child who suffers actual harm as a result of a violation of the bill, or a parent or guardian acting on behalf of that child, to bring a civil action to recover, among other relief, actual damages.

This bill would provide that its provisions are severable.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. January 22, 2026Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
2. October 13, 2025Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
3. October 13, 2025Vetoed by Governor.
4. September 23, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
5. September 11, 2025Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 60. Noes 8. Page 3334.).
6. September 10, 2025In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
7. September 10, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 6. Page 2800.).
8. September 8, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
9. September 5, 2025Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
10. September 2, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
11. August 29, 2025Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
12. August 29, 2025From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).