Pleasanton, California — Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a comprehensive legislative package establishing first-in-the-nation statutory standards for independent third-party evaluations of advanced artificial intelligence systems and creating an official state registry for authorized AI auditors.
The enacted statutory package comprises Senate Bill 813, introduced by state Senator Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton, and Assembly Bill 1405, authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan of Orinda. Together, the statutes create rigorous benchmarks for independent verification organizations tasked with assessing advanced computational models for statutory compliance, safety risks, and operational integrity, establishing external oversight rather than relying solely on internal company assessments.
> "Californians deserve to know that the AI systems and models shaping their lives are safe and secure. We cannot expect industry to simply grade its own homework; third-party auditors are essential to ensuring AI is safe for our communities and critical infrastructure." — Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
The regulatory framework expands upon earlier state initiatives addressing digital privacy, deepfakes, and cybersecurity protections across critical infrastructure. While signing the bills, California leaders renewed their calls for federal policymakers in Washington to enact unified national standards, emphasizing that the state will continue establishing robust accountability mechanisms as artificial intelligence tools integrate into key economic sectors.
For residents in Pleasanton, located in Alameda County's Tri-Valley region approximately 40 miles east of San Francisco, the legislative action has direct community ties as local state Senator Jerry McNerney authored SB 813 to introduce formal third-party verification standards.
