8 bills the California Legislature approved this year, from de-masking ICE agents to AI safeguards

"From a ban on cat declawing procedures to an attempt to protect children from harmful artificial intelligence "companion" chatbots, the California Legislature was busy in its final days of session this year, moving bills along to the governor. Of the nearly 2,400 bills introduced this session, only about a third of them were passed on to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his final approval, according to veteran Sacramento lobbyist Chris Micheli's tally. Newsom has until Oct. 13 to act on those bills sent his way."

"The legislature OK'd a pair of bills to prohibit local and federal law enforcement from concealing their faces with "extreme" masking. The bills came on the heels of increased immigration enforcement operations, particularly in the Los Angeles area, at the start of the second Trump administration. They were born amid growing concerns that a number of supposed agents in plain clothes are arresting undocumented immigrants, sowing uncertainty among both detainees and witnesses who can't tell if the individuals are legitimate law enforcement officers."

California's Legislature advanced roughly one-third of nearly 2,400 introduced bills to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has until Oct. 13 to sign or veto them. Enacted measures include prohibitions on extreme face coverings for local and federal law enforcement with narrow exceptions for tactical operations and undercover work. Another measure requires nonuniformed officers to visibly display identification while on duty, subject to limited exceptions. Additional agenda items address a ban on cat declawing procedures and efforts to protect children from harmful artificial-intelligence "companion" chatbots. The bills followed concerns over increased immigration enforcement and confusion about plainclothes agents.

Read at The Mercury News