CA AB 2148 no-AI school employees (2026)
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
- Status
- Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Takes effect
- January 1, 2027
- Applies to
- California public school districts, charter schools, and their contractors using student-facing personnel
- Enforced by
- California Department of Education
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.
Who is protected: Students in California public schools who interact with employees and contractors
Legal 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.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | CA |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | June 30, 2026 |
| Citation | Cal. AB 2148 (2025-26 Reg. Sess.) — signed June 30, 2026; eff. Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Topics | government use of AI · education AI · children's online safety |
| Agency page | Governor Newsom Signs Legislation — Office of the Governor of California (June 30, 2026) |
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