California AI bills advance as Congress considers state-level regulation ban
Why it matters: Those bills — both authored by Sen. Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) are clashing with efforts in D.C. to stop state-level AI legislation.
House Republicans' reconciliation bill would prohibit states or localities from regulating AI for a decade.
State of play: One bill, SB 243, aims to counter tech marketing of chatbots as an alleviation to loneliness and mental health struggles.
It would prohibit operators from relying on addictive practices to boost engagement, require notifications and reminders the bot is not human.
Between the lines: The other bill, SB 420, seeks to create a regulatory framework for AI systems.
It would require for individuals to be notified when a public or private automated system is used to make decisions about them, how the tool works and in some cases to appeal for review by a person.
The bill would also force an impact assessment on the purpose, use of data and potential for bias present in those automated systems.
What they're saying: "Tech companies would have us believe any regulation at all would be disastrous," Padilla said in a statement. "The truth is it would be disastrous to allow tech titans to operate AI without oversight, accountability, or restraint."
What's next: Both bills now move to the Assembly before a potential trip to the governor's desk.
The big picture: All over the country, states are advancing and implementing AI safeguards while Congress considers a national moratorium in the reconciliation bill.
Padilla told Axios he "can't think of a more irresponsible or stupid thing to do at this juncture" than for Congress to pass the AI moratorium and stop state lawmakers from regulating the tech.
Threat level: The proposed federal moratorium could hinder California's broader efforts to develop a framework for governing AI models.
In March, a working group appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom released a report outlining guidance for policymakers on how to regulate the burgeoning industry, which Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said strikes "a thoughtful balance between the need for safeguards and the need to support innovation."
"AI presents tremendous opportunities to transform our world for the better. At the same time...the rapid pace of technological advancement in AI means policymakers must act with haste to impose reasonable guardrails to mitigate foreseeable risks," Wiener, who introduced AI whistleblower bill SB 53 in February, said in a statement .
The bottom line: California has historically led on tech regulation while Congress gets stuck in debate mode — first on privacy and now on AI.
The state has enacted a wide range of bills addressing everything from digital replicas of individuals to election ads, and has more legislation in the works.
Today, 260 state lawmakers from both sides of the aisle across all 50 states sent a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to oppose the moratorium.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
a few seconds ago
- CNN
California GOP lawmaker faces taunts and jeers over Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill' at town halls
GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa drew taunts and jeers at two raucous town hall meetings Monday over his support for President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' LaMalfa, whose district spans much of the state's northern interior, is the latest Republican to face harsh in-person criticism, as members of the party attempt to sell Trump's sweeping agenda back home during Congress' August break from Washington. Last week, Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood – who also heeded the guidance of the NRCC, the House GOP's campaign arm, to focus the district work period on the president's massive domestic policy bill – met a largely hostile crowd as he was pressed on a range of issues, including the agenda bill that Trump signed into law July 4. LaMalfa calmly address audience members throughout both town halls, even as some attendees cursed at him and railed against his support of the president, shouting 'Liar!' While the morning crowd in Chico had been much louder, the audience in Red Bluff later in the evening was at times just as vocal, especially when LaMalfa expressed skepticism about the role of carbon dioxide in climate change. At both town halls, LaMalfa was pressed over how Trump's agenda, which includes historic cuts to federal support for the social safety net, would affect rural hospitals, particularly those in his district. Other attendees asked questions about transparency around the so-called Jeffrey Epstein files. At the morning event, LaMalfa called it a 'bad look' to have Epstein-related information continue to be 'suppressed.' Still other attendees warned the president's tariffs would harm farmers in California and attacked the congressman's credibility. 'If you're not here to either announce your resignation, why aren't you here to apologize to the farmers of the north state because of your support for the Trump tariffs?' one audience members said at the Chico town hall. 'I'm not gonna do either. Thanks,' LaMalfa replied. 'Do you actually want to talk about something productive?' LaMalfa defended Trump's tariffs, insisting that the United States had been taken advantage of and that the tariffs were being used to negotiate better deals for American farmers. 'And you know, is it the ideal, perfect way to go? No, I hope these tariffs can end soon,' he said Monday evening. 'I want to believe at some point we'lll end up with very low or zero tariffs with all these countries.' LaMalfa also addressed Texas' redistricting effort, warning it is going to start 'a grass fire all across the country.' His comments come as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has urged lawmakers to draw a new map to put before voters in a November special election. The map, as CNN previously reported, could flip five of Republicans' nine seats in the state if voters approve it in a ballot initiative and could potentially target LaMalfa's seat. For his part, LaMalfa said he didn't support either redistricting push. 'It's really ugly and no matter which side of the aisle you're on, it doesn't look good. It doesn't give you more faith in the political process if legislators draw the lines merely to have an outcome for a partisan win,' the congressman said.
Forbes
6 minutes ago
- Forbes
How To Earn An Additional $200 A Day Using ChatGPT
ChatGPT has fundamentally changed how entrepreneurs approach business creation. While traditional employment offers predictable hourly wages, a growing number of business owners are utilizing this artificial intelligence tool to build ventures that generate $200 or more daily. These entrepreneurs aren't just experimenting with technology—they're leveraging ChatGPT to create real income streams that offer flexibility and scalability. Research shows entrepreneurial interest remains strong across age groups, with artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT eliminating many barriers that previously made business creation inaccessible to people without extensive experience or capital. At WIT (Whatever It Takes), where I've guided over 10,000 young entrepreneurs since 2009, I've watched people transform simple ChatGPT interactions into profitable ventures. The key isn't just using ChatGPT—it's knowing which prompts generate actionable business opportunities rather than generic advice. The most successful entrepreneurs using ChatGPT share a common trait: they utilize specific, strategic prompts that yield immediate next steps rather than abstract business concepts. ChatGPT Strategy 1: Local Service Business Generation The Prompt: "I'm available [X hours] weekly with skills in [specific abilities] and $[amount] to invest. Generate three local service businesses that: 1) Use my existing talents, 2) Can launch this week with minimal investment, 3) Target customers in my area, and 4) Could realistically earn $200+ daily within 60 days. Include exact steps to acquire first customers." This ChatGPT prompt works because it demands specificity. Rather than suggesting generic business ideas, ChatGPT provides concrete steps and realistic timelines based on your actual constraints and capabilities. Implementation tip: Use your actual schedule, real skills, and genuine budget in the ChatGPT prompt. Vague inputs produce vague suggestions. ChatGPT Strategy 2: Digital Product Development The Prompt: "Help me create a digital product solving [specific problem] for [target audience]. I want to price it at $[amount] and use my skills in [abilities]. Provide: 1) Product creation steps using free/cheap tools, 2) Content outline that delivers real value, 3) Marketing strategy targeting my audience, and 4) Systems to automate sales and delivery." Digital products provide scalability because they can be created once and sold multiple times. The key is leveraging ChatGPT to identify specific problems that people are willing to pay to solve, then developing solutions that offer real value. Implementation tip: Choose problems you've personally experienced when prompting ChatGPT. Your authentic understanding of the issue creates more valuable solutions. ChatGPT Strategy 3: Content-Based Income Streams The Prompt: "Design a content business around [your interest/expertise] that generates $200+ daily through multiple revenue streams. Include: 1) Five weekly content types I can create consistently, 2) Three monetization methods beyond advertising, 3) Posting schedule across platforms, and 4) Specific tactics to convert followers into paying customers." Content businesses work because they combine passion with monetization. Instead of choosing between doing what you enjoy and earning money, this ChatGPT-powered approach lets you do both simultaneously. Implementation tip: Document your learning process when using ChatGPT suggestions to track your progress. Audiences connect with journeys, not just destinations. ChatGPT Strategy 4: Skill-Based Service Scaling The Prompt: "Transform my skill in [specific ability] into a scalable business model. Create: 1) Three service tiers at different price points, 2) Ways to deliver value beyond hourly work, 3) Systems to handle increased demand, and 4) Strategies to build recurring revenue rather than one-time projects." This ChatGPT strategy shifts from trading time for money to developing products and systems that produce income repeatedly. The aim is to build business models that don't require your constant personal attention. Implementation tip: Start with direct service delivery, then use ChatGPT and customer feedback to identify areas of your process that could be developed into products. ChatGPT Strategy 5: Problem-Solving Businesses The Prompt: "Analyze problems in my community [describe area/demographic] and help me identify: 1) Which issues people would pay to solve, 2) How much customers might spend on solutions, 3) Simple ways I could address these problems, and 4) Marketing approaches to reach affected people." The best business opportunities often hide in plain sight. This ChatGPT prompt helps you systematically identify problems in your immediate environment that could be turned into profitable ventures. Implementation tip: Observe your immediate environment when crafting ChatGPT prompts to ensure you receive a relevant and effective response. Focus on problems that affect specific groups rather than trying to serve everyone. Converting ChatGPT Suggestions Into Real Revenue The gap between individuals who generate income with ChatGPT and those who merely collect ideas hinges on implementation speed. Successful entrepreneurs follow predictable patterns: Week 1: Generate and refine business ideas using specific ChatGPT prompts. Week 2: Create minimum viable offerings and test with small customer groups. Week 3: Gather feedback and iterate based on real customer responses. Week 4: Scale successful elements and build repeatable systems. Common ChatGPT Implementation Mistakes Practical ChatGPT Implementation Framework Define your constraints clearly. Be specific about available time, budget, skills, and target income when crafting ChatGPT prompts. Test quickly and cheaply. Launch minimum viable versions of ChatGPT-suggested ideas before investing significant time or money. Measure and iterate. Track which ChatGPT approaches generate revenue and double down on what works while eliminating what doesn't. Automate systematically. Utilize tools and systems to manage routine tasks, thereby freeing up your time for high-value ChatGPT strategy work. For individuals ready to go beyond traditional employment limitations, ChatGPT offers powerful tools for starting a business. The technology eliminates many barriers that previously made entrepreneurship accessible only to those with significant experience or capital, but success still depends on initiative, persistence, and genuine problem-solving. The combination of human creativity and ChatGPT's artificial intelligence creates unprecedented opportunities. For motivated entrepreneurs, earning $200 daily using ChatGPT isn't just possible—it's becoming achievable for those willing to think strategically and act consistently on AI-generated insights.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gov. Newsom says he'll back down from redistricting threats if Texas throws out new maps
WASHINGTON — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would drop threats to redraw California's congressional map if red states dropped efforts to alter the political landscape before next year's midterm elections. In a letter to President Donald Trump on Monday, Newsom warned against following through with plans to redraw congressional boundaries in red states in order to protect Republicans' slim majority in Congress, threatening to 'neutralize' any GOP gains with a new map in California. The letter comes as Texas state lawmakers plan to vote on a newly proposed map in the coming weeks that would secure up to five new Republican seats in the U.S. House next November. 'You are playing with fire, risking the destabilization of our democracy,' Newsom wrote. 'The attempt to rig congressional maps to hold onto power before a single vote is cast in the 2026 election is an affront to American democracy. This is not what the Founders envisioned, and California cannot stand idly by as this power grab unfolds.' Newsom warned Trump that if he did not 'stand down,' the California governor would be 'forced to lead an effort to redraw the maps' in the Golden State in retaliation. But, he added, if red states agreed to stand down, 'we will happily do the same.' It's unlikely that Trump would agree to reverse his calls for Texas to pass its newly unveiled map that would create new districts in areas that he carried by more than 10 percentage points in the 2024 election. Most of the new districts are in heavily Hispanic areas, a crucial demographic shift that helped secure Trump's victory in November. The Texas Legislature was originally scheduled to vote on the map last week, but those efforts have so far been delayed after Democratic lawmakers fled to blue states such as New York, Illinois and Massachusetts to block any legislative action. Newsom was the first Democratic governor to threaten retaliation, suggesting last month he would look at altering California's districts. The Texas versus California battle has since expanded into a national political war as red and blue states alike have publicly suggested they would look at major changes. However, Newsom could face challenges to changing California's maps as the state has strict laws on redistricting that could make it difficult to adjust boundaries before next November. State law restricts mid-decade redistricting, meaning the state would likely need to pass a constitutional amendment to allow for any changes. Even then, state law requires California to utilize an independent redistricting commission to draw maps, which requires a lengthy vetting process and is designed to ensure little political leverage. Meanwhile, some lawmakers in Congress have openly called for an end to the redistricting efforts — including one Republican who introduced a bill to ban any changes before next November. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., filed the bill last week to block any new maps from being used in the 2026 midterm elections and nullify any changes that are adopted this year. Kiley introduced the ban in response to possible changes in California, which would likely put him at risk as one of just nine House Republicans from the Golden State. Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, said he opposes the push by Texas Republicans to redraw the state's congressional boundaries, making him the highest-ranking GOP lawmaker so far to contradict Trump's demands. 'If Texas does it, California is going to do it, Illinois is going to do it — and Illinois is going to do it worse, in favor of the Democrats, and all of a sudden it's just a free-for-all,' Moore told the Deseret News in an interview last week. 'Every two years, we're going to have redistricting going on constantly instead of the current norm of at least once every 10 years. It's not a perfect system. There's bias constantly involved in this. So yeah, I don't agree with mid-decade redistricting.' The Deseret News has contacted the White House for comment, but has yet to receive it.
