California AB 2148 — Public School Employees and Contractors Must Be Natural Persons
CA · Cal. AB 2148 (2025-26 Reg. Sess.) — signed June 30, 2026; eff. Jan. 1, 2027
California AB 2148, signed by Governor Newsom on June 30, 2026, requires that all employees and independent contractors working directly with students in California public schools be natural persons — human beings — rather than AI systems or automated entities. The bill passed the Assembly 76-0 and the Senate 38-0, reflecting broad bipartisan agreement that student-facing school roles require human accountability. It takes effect January 1, 2027.
Technical detail
Cal. AB 2148 (2025-26 Reg. Sess.) — amends California Education Code to require that individuals employed or contracted to provide direct services to students in public schools be natural persons. Prohibits substitution of AI systems, automated agents, or non-human entities in covered student-facing roles. Passed Assembly 76-0; passed Senate 38-0. Signed by Governor Newsom June 30, 2026; effective January 1, 2027.
Who is protected: Students in California public schools who interact with employees and contractors
Who must comply: California public school districts, charter schools, and their contractors using student-facing personnel
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | CA |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | Enacted (not yet in effect) |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2027-01-01 |
| Enacted | 2026-06-30 |
| Citation | Cal. AB 2148 (2025-26 Reg. Sess.) — signed June 30, 2026; eff. Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Enforced by | California Department of Education |
| Topics | government use of AI · education AI · children's online safety |
| Last verified | 2026-07-04 |
| Official source | Governor Newsom Signs Legislation — Office of the Governor of California (June 30, 2026) ↗ |
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