What SB 1159 does
An act to amend Sections 7920.520, 9072, 11405.70, and 11500 of, and to add Sections 8319, 11121.5, 11342.575, 11370.1.5, and 54951.5 to, the Government Code, and to amend Sections 21066 and 30111 of the Public Resources Code, relating to artificial intelligence.
The California Constitution provides that people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business. Various provisions of existing law, including the California Public Records Act, the Legislative Open Records Act, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, and the Ralph M. Brown Act, provide, with some exceptions, for public access to government records and meetings of government bodies. Among those acts, the California Public Records Act defines “person” to include any natural person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, or association.
Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, governs, among other things, the procedures for the adoption, amendment, or repeal of regulations by state agencies and for the review of those regulatory actions by the Office of Administrative Law.
Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA defines “person” to include any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business, trust, corporation, limited liability company, company, district, county, city and county, city, town, and, among other things, the state.
Existing law, the California Coastal Act of 1976, establishes the California Coastal Commission and prescribes procedures for the preparation, approval, and certification of local coastal programs that regulate development in the coastal zone, as defined, in jurisdictions that have a certified local coastal program.
This bill would specify that, for purposes of the California Public Records Act, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, the Legislative Open Records Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the California Coastal Act of 1976, and CEQA, “person,” “interested person,” “participant,” “member of the public,” as applicable, and any other similar terms under each act referring to those who may engage with governmental agencies, do not include artificial intelligence, as defined, systems, autonomous agents, or robots, whether physical or digital. The bill would authorize governmental agencies to use a disclosure verification tool to determine if artificial intelligence is present. The bill would make findings and declarations related to these provisions.
The bill would prohibit a person from knowingly using artificial intelligence to falsely represent that a natural person appeared before, submitted information to, or otherwise engaged with a governmental agency.
The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose.
This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
Summary from the Legislative Counsel's Digest of the enrolled text, August 24, 2026. Read the full text on leginfo.
How it got here
Senator Cabaldon introduced SB 1159 on February 18, 2026, with coauthors Senators Allen, Becker, Jones, Ochoa Bogh, and Weber Pierson and Assembly Members Lowenthal, Pacheco, and Zbur. The text was amended 3 times, 2 in the Assembly and 1 in the Senate, and heard in 4 committee hearings before its final floor votes.
- Senate Floor, May 4, 2026: 38 ayes, 0 noes.
- Assembly Floor, August 13, 2026: 74 ayes, 0 noes.
- Senate Floor, August 20, 2026: 37 ayes, 0 noes.
Committee votes along the way:
- Senate Judiciary, March 24, 2026: Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection], 12-0.
- Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection, April 6, 2026: Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations], 9-0.
- Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection, June 23, 2026: Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary], 15-0.
- Assembly Judiciary, June 30, 2026: Do pass., 12-0.
Who supports and opposes SB 1159
The Senate Floor Analyses analysis dated August 14, 2026 lists 68 organizations in support and 2 in opposition. When Senate Judiciary first listed positions on March 20, 2026, the count was 20 in support and 0 opposed. By the Senate Floor Analyses analysis of August 14, 2026 it was 68 to 2.
In support: ACT Now Bay Area; Active San Gabriel Valley; Bay Area Air Quality Management District; Big City Mayors; Brea; City of; Building Decarbonization Action Fund; California Acupuncture Board; and 60 more.
Opposed: First Amendment Coalition; Oakland Privacy.
Read the Senate Floor Analyses analysis.
What happens next
It reached the Governor's desk on August 28, 2026. Bills presented after the Legislature adjourned on August 31 must be signed or vetoed within thirty days.
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
Two decisions follow from a bill at this stage. The first is whether to weigh in with the Governor's office before the thirty-day window closes. The second is how to prepare for implementation if it becomes law: which agency writes the rules, when the comment period opens, and which obligations begin January 1.
The AI group at Capitol Axis handles that for AI clients.
Questions about SB 1159
What does SB 1159 do?
This bill would specify that, for purposes of the California Public Records Act, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, the Legislative Open Records Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the California Coastal Act of 1976, and CEQA, “person,” “interested person,” “participant,” “member of the public,” as applicable, and any other similar terms under each act referring to those who may engage with governmental agencies, do not include artificial intelligence, as defined, systems, autonomous agents, or robots, whether physical or digital. The bill would authorize governmenta
Has SB 1159 passed the California Legislature?
It reached the Governor's desk on August 28, 2026. Bills presented after the Legislature adjourned on August 31 must be signed or vetoed within thirty days.
Who supports and opposes SB 1159?
The Senate Floor Analyses analysis dated August 14, 2026 lists 68 organizations in support and 2 in opposition. Supporters include ACT Now Bay Area; Active San Gabriel Valley; Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Opponents include First Amendment Coalition; Oakland Privacy.
What happens next with SB 1159?
The Governor can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Until then, 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.