What AB 412 does
An act to add Title 15.3 (commencing with Section 3115) to Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, relating to artificial intelligence.
Existing federal law, through copyright, provides authors of original works of authorship, as defined, with certain rights and protections. Existing federal law generally gives the owner of the copyright the right to reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords and the right to distribute copies or phonorecords of the work to the public. Existing federal law provides that sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972, are not subject to copyright but are subject to similar rights and protections under the Classics Protection and Access Act.
Existing law requires, before each time that a generative artificial intelligence system or service, as defined, or a substantial modification to a generative artificial intelligence system or service, released on or after January 1, 2022, is made available to Californians for use, regardless of whether the terms of that use include compensation, a developer of the system or service to post on the developer’s internet website documentation, as specified, regarding the data used to train the generative artificial intelligence system or service.
This bill would require a developer of a generative artificial intelligence model to make available on its internet website a mechanism allowing a rights owner to request information about the developer’s use of the rights owner’s covered materials that would allow the rights owner to provide the developer with, among other things, registration, preregistration, or index numbers for one or more covered materials. The bill would require a developer to document and retain any requests received from rights owners for a specified time period. The bill would, subject to specified exceptions, require a developer to, within 30 days of receiving that request from the rights owner, assess whether the developer used the rights owner’s covered materials to develop the model and provide the rights owner with a list of covered materials, as specified. The bill would provide that each day following the 30-day period that a developer fails to provide a rights owner with that information constitutes a discrete violation. The bill would authorize a rights owner who complies with specified requirements for submitting a request that is not provided with information according to these provisions to bring, subject to a certain notice and cure opportunity, a civil action against the developer for specified relief. The bill would provide that its requirements do not apply to a model that meets certain criteria, including, among other things, being trained exclusively using data the developer makes publicly available at no cost to users. The bill would provide that it does not impose liability on a telecommunications service, information service, or cable service provider, as specified. The bill would define various terms for these purposes.
Summary from the Legislative Counsel's Digest of the amended senate text, June 30, 2026. Read the full text on leginfo.
How it got here
Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan introduced AB 412 on February 4, 2025, with coauthors Assembly Member Kalra. The text was amended 9 times, 6 in the Assembly and 3 in the Senate, and heard in 6 committee hearings before its final floor votes.
- Assembly Floor, May 12, 2025: 45 ayes, 16 noes.
Committee votes along the way:
- Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection, March 18, 2025: Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary], 10-3.
- Assembly Judiciary, May 6, 2025: Do pass as amended., 9-1.
- Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection, June 8, 2026: Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Judiciary], 6-2.
- Senate Judiciary, June 23, 2026: Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations], 12-0.
- Senate Appropriations, August 3, 2026: Placed on suspense file, 7-0.
Who supports and opposes AB 412
The Senate Judiciary analysis dated June 19, 2026 lists 34 organizations in support and 37 in opposition. When Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection first listed positions on March 14, 2025, the count was 9 in support and 15 opposed. By the Senate Judiciary analysis of June 19, 2026 it was 34 to 37.
In support: SAG-AFTRA (sponsor); National Association of Voice Actors (sponsor); Concept Art Association (sponsor); American Federation of Musicians, Local 7; American Society for Collective Rights Licensing; Art Directors Guild (ADG IATSE Local 800); Arte Es Ética; ASIFA-Hollywood; and 26 more.
Opposed: AI Salon; American Innovators Network; Bay Area Council; Bizfed - Los Angeles County; Bizfed - Central Valley; Business Software Alliance; CalBroadband; California Chamber of Commerce; and 29 more.
Read the Senate Judiciary analysis.
What happens next
It is in Senate Appropriations. The last recorded action was on August 13, 2026.
The Governor can sign the bill, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Until the decision, sign and veto request letters are the remaining channel, and the Department of Finance's enrolled bill report carries weight on anything with a fiscal effect. If signed, most provisions take effect January 1, and implementation moves to the agencies named in the bill.
What it means for AI organizations
This is the stage where language still changes. Amendments taken in committee are the ones that reach the Governor, so an organization with a stake in the drafting has a reason to be in that conversation now rather than after the vote.
The AI group at Capitol Axis handles that for AI clients.
Questions about AB 412
What does AB 412 do?
This bill would require a developer of a generative artificial intelligence model to make available on its internet website a mechanism allowing a rights owner to request information about the developer’s use of the rights owner’s covered materials that would allow the rights owner to provide the developer with, among other things, registration, preregistration, or index numbers for one or more covered materials. The bill would require a developer to document and retain any requests received from rights owners for a specified time period. The bill would, subject to specified exceptions, requir
Has AB 412 passed the California Legislature?
It is in Senate Appropriations. The last recorded action was on August 13, 2026.
Who supports and opposes AB 412?
The Senate Judiciary analysis dated June 19, 2026 lists 34 organizations in support and 37 in opposition. Supporters include SAG-AFTRA (sponsor); National Association of Voice Actors (sponsor); Concept Art Association (sponsor). Opponents include AI Salon; American Innovators Network; Bay Area Council.
What happens next with AB 412?
It still has committee and floor votes ahead of it. Amendments taken now are the ones that reach the Governor, so this is the stage where language changes are still possible.