CA AB 1405
enactedArtificial intelligence: auditors: registration.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower
Quick answers
Did CA AB 1405 pass?
Yes. CA AB 1405 has been enacted into law as of 2026-08-30. Latest recorded action (2026-09-09): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 178, Statutes of 2026.
What is CA AB 1405 about?
Existing law establishes the Department of Technology within the Government Operations Agency. Existing law requires the department to conduct, in coordination with other interagency bodies as it deems appropriate, a comprehensive inventory of all high-risk automated decision systems that have been proposed for use, development, or procurement by, or are being used, developed, or procured by, any state agency. Existing law generally regulates artificial intelligence, including the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act, which, among other things related to the safety of certain artificial intelligence models, requires a large frontier developer to write, implement, comply with, and clearly and conspicuously publish on its internet website a frontier AI framework that applies to the large frontier developer's frontier models and describes how the large frontier developer approaches certain safety-related items. Existing law defines "artificial intelligence" as an engineered or machine-based system that varies in its level of autonomy and that can, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer from the input it receives how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments. This bill would require the Government Operations Agency to, no later than January 1, 2029, establish an AI Auditor Registry on the agency's internet website allowing AI auditors to register with the agency and allowing natural persons to report misconduct by a registered AI auditor, and require the agency to fix annual registration fees, as specified. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2029, prohibit an unregistered person from offering, selling, or conducting a covered AI audit, as defined, and would require the agency to, among other things, issue a unique registration number to each registered AI auditor and publish information provided by a registered AI auditor on the agency's internet website. The bill would require the registration number of a registered AI auditor to be clearly and conspicuously displayed on all advertising materials offering or soliciting covered AI audit services. The bill would authorize the agency to adopt regulations that are reasonably necessary to effectuate the purposes of the bill. This bill would require an AI auditor that registers with the agency to provide specified information to the agency and would impose various requirements on a registered AI auditor that conducts a covered AI audit, including, among other things, providing the auditee with a report that includes a signed and dated statement indicating that the audit was conducted according to the provisions of this bill. This bill would require a registered AI auditor to adhere to various standards of independence, objectivity, and integrity, including not seeking, soliciting, negotiating for, or accepting employment with an auditee while participating in the audit and not conducting a covered AI audit if the auditor has a financial, business, employment, or other interest or relationship that would reasonably be expected to impair the auditor's independence or objectivity. The bill would prohibit a registered AI auditor from preventing an employee from engaging in, or from retaliating against an employee who has engaged in, specified whistleblower activity. The bill would authorize the agency to investigate alleged violations of the bill, as specified, and provide that a violation constitutes grounds for removal from the registry and referral to the Attorney General or other appropriate enforcement authority. This bill would create the AI Auditors' Registration Fund within the State Treasury, to be administered by the agency, and would require that all moneys collected or received by the agency pursuant to the above-described provisions be deposited into the fund to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to administer the above-described provisions. Existing law establishes the California Board of Accountancy, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs, and requires the board to license and regulate accountants in this state. This bill would exempt a registered AI auditor licensed or authorized to practice public accountancy and a firm holding a permit to practice public accountancy issued by the California Board of Accountancy, as specified, from complying with certain requirements related to reporting information to the agency and standards of independence, objectivity, and integrity under the bill if certain requirements are met. The bill would require the Government Operations Agency to, if the agency determines that a certified public accountant, public accountant, or accounting firm in good standing has violated this bill, notify the accountant or firm and the California Board of Accountancy in writing, and would require the board to investigate the complaint and provide the agency with a report of its findings and any resulting action.
Who sponsors CA AB 1405?
Bauer-Kahan is the primary sponsor of CA AB 1405, joined by 3 cosponsors.
Description
Existing law establishes the Department of Technology within the Government Operations Agency. Existing law requires the department to conduct, in coordination with other interagency bodies as it deems appropriate, a comprehensive inventory of all high-risk automated decision systems that have been proposed for use, development, or procurement by, or are being used, developed, or procured by, any state agency. Existing law generally regulates artificial intelligence, including the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act, which, among other things related to the safety of certain artificial intelligence models, requires a large frontier developer to write, implement, comply with, and clearly and conspicuously publish on its internet website a frontier AI framework that applies to the large frontier developer's frontier models and describes how the large frontier developer approaches certain safety-related items. Existing law defines "artificial intelligence" as an engineered or machine-based system that varies in its level of autonomy and that can, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer from the input it receives how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments. This bill would require the Government Operations Agency to, no later than January 1, 2029, establish an AI Auditor Registry on the agency's internet website allowing AI auditors to register with the agency and allowing natural persons to report misconduct by a registered AI auditor, and require the agency to fix annual registration fees, as specified. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2029, prohibit an unregistered person from offering, selling, or conducting a covered AI audit, as defined, and would require the agency to, among other things, issue a unique registration number to each registered AI auditor and publish information provided by a registered AI auditor on the agency's internet website. The bill would require the registration number of a registered AI auditor to be clearly and conspicuously displayed on all advertising materials offering or soliciting covered AI audit services. The bill would authorize the agency to adopt regulations that are reasonably necessary to effectuate the purposes of the bill. This bill would require an AI auditor that registers with the agency to provide specified information to the agency and would impose various requirements on a registered AI auditor that conducts a covered AI audit, including, among other things, providing the auditee with a report that includes a signed and dated statement indicating that the audit was conducted according to the provisions of this bill. This bill would require a registered AI auditor to adhere to various standards of independence, objectivity, and integrity, including not seeking, soliciting, negotiating for, or accepting employment with an auditee while participating in the audit and not conducting a covered AI audit if the auditor has a financial, business, employment, or other interest or relationship that would reasonably be expected to impair the auditor's independence or objectivity. The bill would prohibit a registered AI auditor from preventing an employee from engaging in, or from retaliating against an employee who has engaged in, specified whistleblower activity. The bill would authorize the agency to investigate alleged violations of the bill, as specified, and provide that a violation constitutes grounds for removal from the registry and referral to the Attorney General or other appropriate enforcement authority. This bill would create the AI Auditors' Registration Fund within the State Treasury, to be administered by the agency, and would require that all moneys collected or received by the agency pursuant to the above-described provisions be deposited into the fund to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to administer the above-described provisions. Existing law establishes the California Board of Accountancy, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs, and requires the board to license and regulate accountants in this state. This bill would exempt a registered AI auditor licensed or authorized to practice public accountancy and a firm holding a permit to practice public accountancy issued by the California Board of Accountancy, as specified, from complying with certain requirements related to reporting information to the agency and standards of independence, objectivity, and integrity under the bill if certain requirements are met. The bill would require the Government Operations Agency to, if the agency determines that a certified public accountant, public accountant, or accounting firm in good standing has violated this bill, notify the accountant or firm and the California Board of Accountancy in writing, and would require the board to investigate the complaint and provide the agency with a report of its findings and any resulting action.
- Introduced
- 2025-02-21
- Latest action
- 2026-09-09 — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 178, Statutes of 2026.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Bauer-Kahanauthor
- Wienercoauthor
- McNerneycoauthor
- Rubiocoauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2025-02-21
Introduced. To print.
introduction
2025-02-22
From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.
2025-02-24
Read first time.
reading-1
2025-03-17
Referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
referral-committee
2025-04-02
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 1.) (April 1).
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee
2025-04-03
Read second time and amended.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2025-04-07
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
referral-committee
2025-04-23
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
referral-committee
2025-05-23
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-05-27
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-06-02
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 62. Noes 4. Page 1890.)
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-06-03
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
reading-1,referral-committee
2025-06-11
Referred to Coms. on JUD. and G.O.
referral-committee
2025-07-02
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on G.O. (Ayes 11. Noes 1.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on G.O.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-07-08
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (July 8).
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee
2025-07-09
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-08-18
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
referral-committee
2025-08-29
In committee: Held under submission.
2026-08-13
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 13).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-13
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-25
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-26
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-30
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 10.).
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-30
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-30
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2026-09-09
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1 p.m.
executive-receipt
2026-09-09
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2026-09-09
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 178, Statutes of 2026.
became-law
2026-08-30
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 60. Noes 6.).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
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Votes
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2025-04-01 · pass · 11-1
Member-level votes (15)
- Berman: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Ward: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Wilson: yes
- DeMaio: no
- Dixon: other
- Macedo: other
- Patterson: other
Do pass.
2025-05-23 · pass · 11-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Calderon: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Hart: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Solache: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Fong: yes
- Ta: other
- Sanchez: other
- Dixon: other
- Tangipa: other
AB 1405 Bauer-Kahan Assembly Third Reading
2025-06-03 · pass · 62-4
Member-level votes (79)
- Addis: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Lee: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Krell: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Ward: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Blanca Rubio: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Patel: yes
- Solache: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Papan: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Fong: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Soria: yes
- Wallis: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Alanis: yes
- Haney: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Hart: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Berman: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Bains: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Ellis: no
- Gallagher: no
- DeMaio: no
- Sanchez: no
- Hoover: other
- Chen: other
- Lackey: other
- Ta: other
- Davies: other
- Tangipa: other
- Flora: other
- Jeff Gonzalez: other
- Hadwick: other
- Macedo: other
- Castillo: other
- Dixon: other
- Patterson: other
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Governmental Organization]
2025-07-01 · pass · 11-1
Member-level votes (13)
- Durazo: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Stern: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Laird: yes
- Allen: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Niello: no
- Valladares: other
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2025-07-08 · pass · 11-2
Member-level votes (15)
- Archuleta: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Rubio: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: no
- Dahle: no
- Jones: other
- Valladares: other
Placed on suspense file
2025-08-18 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Richardson: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Grayson: yes
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-09-11T06:07:40.672723Z
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