Transcript Highlights:

• WHAT WE ASPIRE TO DO IT CLEVELAND CLINIC IS TO LOOK POTENTIAL OF WHAT AI AND TECHNOLOGY CAN BRING.
• THAT'S WHAT WE DO HERE IS NOT TO LEVERAGE AI OR TEACH OUR STUDENTS ALL ABOUT AI AND FORGET ABOUT THE
• BEYOND THE TWO WORDS AI.
• WE DO THOUSANDS OF STUDIES DAILY ACROSS THE CLINIC ENTERPRISE SO READING THOSE, AI IS HELPING SAY THIS
• ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE WHO IS A CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER AI COMPANY PARTNER WITH OUR FACULTY BECAUSE

Transcript Highlights:

• .then is in the current clinical setting, do we see situations where AI is the decision-maker?
• that clinical decisions are not made by AI.
• to adopt, integrate, and monitor these AI systems that they introduce within clinical settings.
• unregulated consumer AI models with no clinical validation and no accountability.
• Because in my understanding, with how AI tools are used right now in the clinical setting, it's used

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, beginning with AB 2651 by Bonta, which would require schools to notify parents when school vaccination rates fall below herd immunity thresholds. Supporters, including family physicians, PTA representatives, and medical groups, said the bill would improve transparency and help parents protect children and vulnerable family members. Opponents argued the data could be misleading, could identify medically exempt or conditional students, and might lead to stigma or discrimination. The bill was later moved out of committee on a due-pass-as-amended motion, with one no vote recorded on the roll call. The committee also heard AB 2123 by Aguirre-Curry on medical debt relief, AB 1570 by Wilson to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary breast diagnostic and supplemental imaging, AB 2201 by Berner to restore Medi-Cal eligibility and renewal flexibilities, AB 2448 by Berman to strengthen privacy protections for reproductive and gender-affirming care records, AB 2034 by Addis on food additive safety and transparency, and AB 2598 by Krell to require better notification of next of kin when a patient dies in a hospital. Each bill drew strong support from authors, advocates, and affected individuals, while some drew opposition from insurers, industry groups, or transparency critics who raised concerns about cost, duplication, implementation, or unintended harm. Several bills were moved forward on due-pass-as-amended motions, including AB 2123, AB 2201, AB 2448, AB 2034, and AB 2598. The committee also heard AB 2551 by Elhawary, which would require health plans to collect and publish data on how often enrollees must go out of network for behavioral health care and why. Supporters said the measure would expose access barriers and high out-of-pocket costs, especially for communities of color and people with language access needs; opponents said it would add another reporting mandate and might not solve provider shortage problems. Members generally expressed support for the bill’s goals and several described personal or district-level experiences with behavioral health access problems. The bill was then moved out of committee on a due-pass motion. The committee also took up consent items and other procedural motions, with multiple bills reported out and some placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• then is in the current clinical setting, do we see situations where AI is the decision-maker?
• clinical decisions are not made by AI.
• to adopt, integrate, and monitor these AI systems that they introduce within clinical settings.
• unregulated consumer AI models with no clinical validation and no accountability.
• Because in my understanding, with how AI tools are used right now in the clinical setting, it’s used

Committee: House Health

Transcript Highlights:

• AI systems learn from historical data.
• AI done right can shareholder value.
• Used right AI can and the board, etc.
• </c><00:04:04.319><c> in</c> insurance companies to leverage AI in insurance companies to leverage AI
• AI systems learn from inequalities. AI systems learn from historical<00:05:06.000><c> data.

Transcript Highlights:

• In a Texas school district, a student used AI to generate nude images of another student, and when the
• in David's Law to keep up with rapidly evolving technologies. and new online threats, specifically AI-generated
• Senator Cruz, which criminalizes the publication of NCII (non-consensual intimate imagery), including AI-generated

Bills: SB204 , SB570 , SB735 , SB784 , SB1207 , SB1396 , SB1447 , SB2392 , SB2540 , SB747 , SB875

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: parental rights, education, school trustees, training, handbook, truancy, attendance policy, chronic absenteeism, school attendance, student absence notifications, parent notification, home visit, attendance officer, truancy court, school district, open-enrollment charter school, student support services, school counselor, principal, administrator

Transcript Highlights:

• By now, we're all familiar with the rapid rise of generative AI.
• By now, we're all familiar with the rapid rise of generative AI.
• AI is a very hot topic, and interest in health care AI has grown rapidly over the last few years.
• , testing, and clinical documentation.
• AI systems do not misrepresent themselves as health care providers.

Summary: The Assembly Business and Professions Committee held its first regular bill hearing of 2025 and considered a wide range of measures on health care access, professional regulation, animal welfare, and consumer protection. Early in the hearing, the committee adopted its rules and then approved a consent calendar of several bills, including measures by Chen, Caloza, Carrillo, Arreguín, Berman, and Flora. The committee also took up AB 1082, which would allow California nursing students enrolled in out-of-state programs to complete clinical training in California; supporters said it would help address the nursing shortage and keep students closer to home, while opponents warned it could worsen already limited clinical placement capacity and reduce oversight. The bill passed on a do pass recommendation to Appropriations after a quorum was established. The committee then heard and advanced several health-related bills. AB 50, by Assembly Member Bonta, would ease Medi-Cal access to over-the-counter hormonal contraception by removing the need for a prescription for coverage purposes; pharmacists, reproductive health advocates, and medical groups supported the bill, and it passed unanimously to the Committee on Health. AB 489, also by Bonta, would prohibit AI systems from misrepresenting themselves as licensed health professionals; supporters from medical, psychiatric, behavioral health, and other professional groups said the bill would protect patients from misleading chatbot advice, and it passed to Privacy and Consumer Protection. AB 481, by Assembly Member Rubio, would expand the tasks that federally qualified lab personnel can perform under CLIA supervision to help address lab staffing shortages; labor groups raised concerns about training, certification, and supervision, but the bill passed to Appropriations with an amended do pass recommendation. The committee also considered animal welfare and access-to-care measures. AB 631, by Assembly Member Lee, would require animal shelters to post intake and outcome data online; supporters said the reporting would improve policy and resource allocation, while members discussed how the requirement would work for shelters without websites, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 867, also by Lee, would prohibit cat declawing except when medically necessary for the animal; animal welfare groups strongly supported the bill, while the veterinary association opposed it as an improper legislative regulation of veterinary surgery, and the bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, AB 1307 would create a pilot program allowing a limited number of qualified dentists trained in Mexico to practice in underserved California areas; supporters framed it as a cost-neutral way to address major dental access gaps, the California Dental Association remained opposed unless amended, and the bill passed to Appropriations. Several members later added their votes on the various items after the hearing, and the committee kept the hearing open briefly to allow additional add-ons.

Transcript Highlights:

• But many of these tools today operate as informational or advisory clinical AI.
• But many of these tools today operate as informational or advisory clinical AI capacity.
• This bill's goal is simply to take a similar approach for clinical AI.
• as it relates to clinical AI services.
• Where it pivots to a requirement of licensure is when AI, or clinical AI, is now making an autonomous

Committee: House Business

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill prohibits health insurers from using AI to change, alter, or amend those clinical coding decisions
• First, AI lacks clinical context.
• such codes based on AI recommendations that would change the clinical judgment of a provider.
• And when the chairman said something about is the AI program going to change the clinical judgment of
• program going to change about is the AI program going to change the<04:46:54.958><c> clinical</c><04

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• By now, we're all familiar with the rapid rise of generative AI.
• AI systems misrepresenting themselves as health professionals.
• AI is a very hot topic and interest in healthcare AI has grown rapidly over the last few years.
• We've been using AI for years to assist with diagnosis, with testing, and for clinical documentation.
• AB489 is a key step to ensuring that AI in healthcare is used safely and ethically by ensuring that AI

Committee: House Business and Professions

Transcript Highlights:

• to adopt, integrate, and monitor the AI systems they introduce into their clinical settings with care
• In current practice, many AI-enabled tools are embedded in electronic health records and clinical workflows
• , and making final clinical AI-generated recommendations, validating their accuracy, and making final
• AI reduces administrative burdens, streamlines clinical documentation, and helps providers spend less
• When a clinical decision is made, and there's a nurse, and there's a doctor, and there's an AI system

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• to adopt, integrate, and monitor the AI systems they introduce into their clinical settings with care
• In current practice, many AI-enabled tools are embedded in electronic health records and clinical workflows
• , and making final clinical AI-generated recommendations, validating their accuracy, and making final
• AI reduces administrative burdens, streamlines clinical documentation, and helps providers spend less
• When a clinical decision is made, and there's a nurse, and there's a doctor, and there's an AI system

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on privacy, accessibility, labor, and public safety. AB 1798 by Assemblymember Wilson would bar life and disability insurers from using non-diagnostic genetic information, including direct-to-consumer test results, in underwriting. Supporters argued the bill would protect privacy and encourage genetic testing, while insurers opposed it as unnecessary and said genetic data should be treated like other predictive health information. The bill passed the committee on a 7-0 vote and was held open for absent members. AB 2190 by Assemblymember Wallace would create website accessibility standards based on WCAG guidelines and add affirmative defenses intended to reduce serial litigation while improving access for people with disabilities. Disability advocates supported the measure as a needed civil-rights update, while business groups warned it could increase liability and create unclear compliance obligations. The bill passed 9-0 and was sent to Appropriations. AB 2721 by Assemblymember Carrillo would require hotels to post notice when they know or should know that U.S. Customs and Border Protection or ICE are using the premises, with supporters saying workers and guests deserve transparency and safety. Hotel and business groups opposed it, citing privacy, liability, and concerns about interfering with federal operations. The committee voted 6-2 to pass the bill to Appropriations, with the roll left open. AB 2027 by Assemblymember Ward would restrict employers from using worker data to train AI systems that replace workers and limit sharing of worker data for automation; labor groups supported it and business and public-sector groups opposed it as too broad. The bill passed 7-2 to Appropriations, with the roll left open. The committee also heard AB 1837 by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, which would extend and tighten privacy rules for transit agencies’ use of forward-facing cameras to enforce bus-lane violations; supporters said the cameras improve transit flow and safety, and the bill was presented with amendments, though no final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• AI has the potential to increase clinical Confidentiality laws.
• AI has the potential to increase clinical capacity, but only if it is utilized in a way that does no
• AI can support care, but it cannot replace the clinical judgment or responsibility. In the loop.
• AI can support care, but it cannot replace the clinical judgment or responsibility of a licensed provider
• The bill does not restrict the use of AI in any fashion in a therapeutic or clinical setting.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• AI are supercomputers.
• AI are supercomputers. They are enough. AI are supercomputers.
• I think that AI and the forever.
• </c><00:10:51.360><c> tools</c> encourage revisions to allow AI tools encourage revisions to allow AI
• </c> about is is that AI AI chat bots should about is is that AI AI chat bots should have<00:21:11.520

Transcript Highlights:

• So getting into kind of the AI issue in MedTech, AI is being used across three applications in health
• A real-world example of AI enhancing patient care would be a patient sitting for an MRI with AI-enhanced
• And the dry powder is being used up, but it's being used up with AI and AI tech, and not so much in med
• That correlated with how the patient's doing clinically is really what we're pointing to in clinical
• So it's an adaptive clinical pathway that we're looking at with the FDA. adaptive clinical pathway that

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical Technology held a hearing on California’s medical technology landscape, with opening remarks emphasizing the sector’s size, economic impact, and role in jobs and innovation. The first panel contrasted MedTech with biopharma, describing MedTech as hardware- and manufacturing-oriented, more incremental in development, and more dependent on supply chains, land use, and mid-skilled workforce pipelines. Witnesses argued California is the epicenter for MedTech because of its mix of engineering, software, hospitals, and manufacturing ecosystems, and cited clusters in places like Irvine, Fremont, Carlsbad, and the Bay Area. They also highlighted examples such as Penumbra and Vyaire Medical Systems to show how local manufacturing, community college training, and reshoring can support growth. The panel discussed cybersecurity, trade relations, supply chain disruptions, and the need for better coordination with hospitals and regulators, while AdvaMed stressed that medical devices are already heavily regulated by the FDA and should generally be exempt from broader state laws that could create a patchwork of requirements. Members also discussed AI in MedTech, workforce training, and the possible effects of federal NIH funding cuts, with witnesses saying MedTech is less dependent on NIH than biopharma but still benefits from a strong innovation ecosystem. Committee members then asked about AI, affordability, patient satisfaction, women’s health, and the R&D tax credit. Witnesses said AI is helping reduce errors, redundant testing, and imaging time, while keeping clinicians in the loop, and that digital pathology and robotic surgery are improving diagnosis and treatment. They also noted that packaging, plastics, and recycling can affect FDA approvals, and that FemTech is an active and growing area for investment and acquisition. Several members raised concerns about California’s regulatory and incentive environment, including the loss of the R&D tax credit, and witnesses said the absence of tax incentives has made it harder to keep companies and jobs in the state. The second panel featured company representatives from Lyca Biosystems, Intuitive, Saravia Neurosciences, and Newman. Dr. Monroe described digital pathology as a way to digitize tissue slides, improve access to subspecialty review, and enable AI-assisted diagnosis, especially for cancer care and rural areas. Intuitive highlighted robotic-assisted surgery, including the da Vinci system and the Ion bronchoscopy platform, and said its technologies improve precision, reduce complications, and support clinician-led care. Saravia Neurosciences presented an early-stage neurotechnology for dementia that uses MRI-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation and AI-driven personalization, and argued California needs a state translational fund to bridge the gap between discovery and commercialization. Newman, a startup working on home diagnostics, said California’s permitting, zoning, and manufacturing rules make it difficult to scale advanced manufacturing locally and urged streamlining, reduced red tape, and incentives to keep manufacturing jobs in-state. Committee members again focused on tax credits and asked how the state could better support manufacturing, translational funding, and the retention of high-paying MedTech jobs.

Transcript Highlights:

• AI has a potential to increase clinical Confidentiality laws.
• AI has a potential to increase clinical capacity, but only if it is utilized in a way that does no harm
• AI can support care, but it cannot replace the clinical judgment or responsibility. In the loop.
• AI can support care, but it cannot replace the clinical judgment or responsibility of a licensed provider
• The bill does not restrict the use of AI in any fashion in a therapeutic or clinical setting.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with SB 936 on nitrous oxide sales. Senator Blakespear and supporters, including Orange County and Humboldt County supervisors, described growing misuse of large nitrous canisters, impaired driving, youth access, and waste and safety problems. There was no formal opposition testimony, and multiple organizations and local governments voiced support. Committee members generally supported the bill but raised questions about enforcement and the role of existing licensing agencies; the author said amendments addressed concerns about balloons and bags. The bill was moved on a due-pass recommendation to Senate Appropriations and left on call. The committee also heard SB 1312 on abandoned cemeteries, SB 1340 on small business procurement reporting, and SB 903 on AI in mental health care. SB 1312 would build on last year’s cemetery workgroup to address abandoned private cemeteries; the author and the Cemetery and Mortuary Association said the bill is intended to use forthcoming recommendations to improve maintenance and oversight. It was moved due pass to Senate Appropriations and left on call. SB 1340 would require state agencies to report contract and payment data involving small businesses to the Office of the Small Business Advocate; the Controller’s office supported the measure, and it was moved due pass to Senate Appropriations and left on call. SB 903 drew the most extensive debate. The bill would restrict the public offering of psychotherapy services through AI unless a licensed professional is involved, require disclosure and informed consent, and preserve confidentiality rules. Supporters argued that chatbots and AI therapy tools can mislead consumers and create safety, bias, and privacy risks, while opponents from the California Medical Association and TechNet warned the definitions were too broad and could hinder beneficial clinical tools, triage, research, and FDA-approved applications. Committee members pressed the author on clarity, administrative uses like note-taking, and whether the bill would allow clinician-supervised AI; the author said the intent is to keep a human clinician in the loop and continue refining the language. The bill was moved to the Senate Privacy, Digital Technology, and Consumer Protection Committee and left on call. Finally, the committee heard SB 1271 on midwifery preceptor data and SB 1327 on EV charger accuracy oversight. SB 1271 would collect data on licensed midwives’ capacity to serve as preceptors to strengthen the training pipeline; supporters described workforce shortages, rural access problems, and closures of labor and delivery units. It was moved due pass to the Senate Health Committee and left on call. SB 1327 would shift EV charger accuracy oversight from CDFA’s Division of Measurement Standards to the California Energy Commission; supporters said this would standardize enforcement and better match the agency already regulating EV infrastructure, while county sealers and others opposed the move as unnecessary, costly, and potentially weakening local consumer protection. The bill was moved due pass to the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee and left on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, it's increasingly clear to me that the use of AI developing clinical decision support systems
• Today, AI systems are being used in areas of patient... ...clinical judgment.
• Today, AI systems are being used in areas of patient care that require clinical judgment, including patient
• . ...to do is ensure that there isn't any sole output from a clinical decision-making AI tool, automated
• So I think we are in a greenfield space when it comes to AI and the deployment of AI.

Committee: Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• But what happens when AI gets it wrong?
• In the real world, clinical judgment relies on more than data inputs.
• For patients, AI technologies are improving health care outcomes.
• AB 2575 puts these benefits at risk by discouraging the use of AI in the clinical setting and, worse,
• Clinical judgment is extremely important. We all must have that.

Summary: The committee heard AB 2575 on health care AI guardrails, with the author and supporters from the California Nurses Association and labor groups arguing that AI should support, not replace, clinical judgment. They said the bill would require basic disclosures about AI tools, protect workers from retaliation for overriding AI in good faith, and prevent developers or employers from shifting liability to frontline clinicians. Opponents including the California Medical Association, CalChamber, hospitals, and other health care organizations argued the bill would add costs, create uncertainty, and discourage useful AI applications. Committee members discussed bias in health care and accepted amendments narrowing the disclosure provisions; the bill was moved with a 7-1 vote and re-referred to Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement. AB 634 would ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of products containing tianeptine, described by supporters as “gas station heroin.” The author and law enforcement supporters said the substance is dangerous, easily accessible, and can cause opioid-like addiction, while no opposition came forward. The committee also heard AB 1607 to extend the Maddy EMS Fund, which reimburses emergency providers for uncompensated care. Supporters said the fund is essential to keeping emergency departments staffed, especially amid expected coverage losses; an ACLU representative opposed the funding source because it relies on criminal and traffic fines. Members supported the need for the fund but raised concerns about the fairness and long-term stability of the revenue source, and the bill advanced on a 8-0 vote. AB 1906 would require coverage of at-home cervical cancer screening tests without cost sharing, and the author said the bill would improve early detection and reduce disparities, especially for rural and working Californians. Support came from Planned Parenthood, Health Access, and several health and labor organizations; insurers said they appreciated the amendments and were reviewing their position. The committee adopted amendments aligning the bill with clinical guidelines and passed it 6-0 to Appropriations. The committee also took up AB 2247, the Thrive Act, to create a pilot program for trauma and mental health services for youth affected by gun violence in four counties. Supporters described barriers survivors face in accessing counseling, while members questioned the narrow focus on gun violence, the choice of counties, documentation requirements, and whether the program should instead be housed in victim compensation. The bill passed 8-0 to Judiciary. Later, AB 2531 would expand California’s uncompensated care program so veterans denied abortion care through the federal VA system could receive coverage in California, and would add an abortion resources link for veterans. Supporters framed it as filling a gap created by federal restrictions; opponents argued state funds should not support abortion. Members noted the VA already provides many reproductive services but not this one, and the bill passed 7-0 to Military and Veterans Affairs. The committee also heard AB 1915, which would modernize restaurant facility rules and create a self-certification pathway for some equipment installations. Restaurant and business groups supported the bill as a way to reduce costly delays, while the Contractor State License Board opposed the self-certification provision over safety and inspection concerns. Members generally supported streamlining but echoed public safety concerns and indicated further work was needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• So getting into kind of the AI issue in MedTech: AI is being used across three applications in health
• A real-world example of AI enhancing patient care would be a patient sitting for an MRI with AI-enhanced
• The first one is the application of AI.
• And the dry powder is being used up, but it's being used up with AI and AI tech, and not so much in MedTech
• in clinical studies.

Transcript Highlights:

• AI has a potential to increase clinical... ...capacity, but only if it is utilized in a way that does
• AI can support care, but it cannot replace the clinical judgment or responsibility of a licensed provider
• AI can support care, but it cannot replace the clinical judgment or responsibility of a licensed provider
• Senator, the bill draft provides specifically that if AI technology is going to be deployed in a clinical
• The bill does not restrict the use of AI in any fashion in a therapeutic or clinical setting.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with SB 936 on nitrous oxide sales. Senator Blakespear and supporters, including Orange and Humboldt County supervisors and public safety, medical, waste, and local government groups, argued the bill would curb youth misuse, impaired driving, and hazardous waste by prohibiting retail sale of nitrous oxide canisters larger than eight grams while preserving legitimate uses. There was no lead opposition testimony, though members raised questions about enforcement and existing regulatory agencies. The committee ultimately moved the bill on a due pass basis to Senate Appropriations, with broad support and no recorded opposition at the time of the vote. Members also heard SB 1312 on abandoned cemeteries and SB 1340 on small business contracting transparency. SB 1312 would use the existing cemetery workgroup process to develop recommendations for addressing abandoned cemeteries, with the author and the Cemetery and Mortuary Association describing vandalism, theft, and inadequate endowment funds as ongoing problems. SB 1340 would require state agencies to report more detailed small business contracting information, including actual payments, to the Office of the Small Business Advocate; the Controller’s office supported the measure as a way to improve accountability and help small businesses compete for state work. Both bills were moved forward on due pass motions to Senate Appropriations. The committee also considered SB 903 on artificial intelligence in mental health care, SB 1271 on midwifery preceptor data, and SB 1327 on EV charger accuracy oversight. SB 903 drew strong support from mental health and professional groups that said AI should not replace licensed clinicians, while medical and technology groups opposed it unless amended, warning the definitions were too broad and could hinder beneficial tools and research; the author said the bill was meant to keep a human clinician in the loop and allow administrative uses with consent. SB 1271 was supported by midwives and birth workers who said California needs better data on preceptor capacity to expand training and address maternity care deserts; it advanced to Senate Health. SB 1327 would shift EV charger accuracy oversight from CDFA’s weights and measures division to the California Energy Commission; supporters said this would modernize and standardize enforcement, while county sealers and others opposed the shift as unnecessary, costly, and potentially weakening consumer protections. SB 1327 passed on a divided vote to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications. Several bills were held on call after votes, and the committee established quorum before taking formal actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• But what happens when AI gets it wrong?
• In the real world, clinical judgment relies on more than data inputs.
• For patients, AI technologies are improving health care outcomes.
• AB 2575 puts these benefits at risk by discouraging the use of AI in the clinical setting and, worse,
• Clinical judgment is extremely important. We all must have that.

Committee: Senate Health