California

In October 2023, California passed the Delete Act, which, in addition to requiring data brokers to register with the state, directed Cal Privacy (f/k/a the California Privacy Protection Agency or CPPA) to create a data deletion software tool by January 1, 2026. This deletion software tool, now called the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP), allows California residents to submit a single request to require all registered data brokers to 1) delete their personal information, and 2) stop selling or sharing that information through one verified, government‑administered process, rather than contacting hundreds of companies individually.

Key point: Recent legislative efforts in Massachusetts, seeking to add another comprehensive data privacy law to the national patchwork of state laws, and in California enacting a law to regulate AI development, occurred this week when the Massachusetts Senate unanimously sent Senate Bill 2608 to the state House, and California enacted the nation’s second substantive state law regulating AI.

Keypoint: The California Privacy Protection Agency settled its first non-data broker enforcement action with a $632,500 fine and other remedial measures.

On March 12, 2025, the California Privacy Protection Agency (Agency) announced its first non-data broker enforcement action requiring a vehicle manufacturer to pay an administrative fine of $632,500 in connection with the Agency’s review of connected vehicle manufacturers and related technologies’ privacy practices. The manufacturer also agreed to implement certain remedial actions.

In the below post, we provide an overview of the alleged violations and the penalties.

Keypoint: Of the ten privacy- and AI-related bills passed by the California legislature in the 2024 legislative session, Governor Newsom signed seven into law and vetoed three by the September 30 deadline.

Throughout the 2024 legislative session, we have been tracking numerous privacy- and AI-related bills pending in California. Ten of those bills passed the state legislature before the legislative session ended on August 31 (nine of which passed in the final week of August). Governor Newsom had a deadline of September 30 to sign or veto the bills that passed. Of the ten total bills, he signed seven into law and vetoed three bills. Those seven bills scheduled to go into effect consist of four laws related to privacy and three laws related to AI.

The below article provides a summary of the ten bills that Governor Newsom either signed into law or vetoed.

Keypoint: The California legislature closed its 2024 session by passing five privacy-related bills and four AI-related bills.

On Saturday, August 31, the California legislature closed its 2024 session. During the past calendar year, we tracked numerous privacy and AI-related bills with fourteen of them passing out of their chamber of origin prior to the legislative deadline. For the past month, we have been tracking thirteen of those bills with weekly updates (the fourteenth bill already having passed through the legislature). Of the six privacy-related bills we have been tracking, five ultimately passed the legislature during the final week of the session. Four of the seven AI-related bills also passed. 

The below article first provides a summary of the bills that passed during the final week of the session. The article then provides an overview of all fourteen bills.

Keypoint: The California legislature enters into the final week of its session with many bills still under consideration.

We are currently tracking thirteen privacy and AI-related bills that previously crossed chambers prior to the legislative deadline. With the California legislature closing on August 31, we will be providing weekly updates on the progress of these bills.

Keypoint: The appellate court ruled that the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act’s impact assessment provision is unconstitutional and remanded the case back to the trial court to consider the constitutionality of the other challenged provisions.

On August 16, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion in NetChoice v. Bonta on the constitutionality of California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (AADC). The appellate court affirmed the district court’s decision in part and vacated it in part. The appellate court affirmed the district court’s ruling that NetChoice was likely to succeed in showing that the AADC’s data protection impact assessment requirement violates the First Amendment. Based on that ruling, the appellate court affirmed the district court’s decision to enjoin enforcement of that requirement. The appellate court vacated the remainder of the district court’s ruling, determining that it is unclear from the record whether the remaining provisions of the AADC challenged by NetChoice violate the First Amendment. The appellate court remanded the case to the district court to consider the constitutionality of those provisions and whether the law’s unconstitutional provisions are severable from the remainder of the law.

In the below article, we provide an overview and analysis of the Ninth Circuit’s ruling.

Keypoint: Last week, several privacy and AI bills passed out of committee (with some receiving amendments) while two bills died in committee.

We are currently tracking thirteen privacy and AI-related bills that previously crossed chambers prior to the legislative deadline. With the California legislature closing on August 31, we will be providing weekly updates on the progress of these bills.

Keypoint: Last week, the California legislature returned from its summer recess and began moving forward with privacy and AI legislation prior to the August 31 session closing date.

We are currently tracking thirteen privacy and AI-related bills that previously crossed chambers prior to the legislative deadline. With the California legislature closing on August 31, we will be providing weekly updates on the progress of these bills.