County of Santa Cruz Artificial Intelligence Use Policy
Santa Cruz County, CA · County of Santa Cruz, AI Policy (Sept. 19, 2023)
Santa Cruz County adopted one of the earliest county-level AI policies in the US, approved in September 2023 and incorporated into the county's procedures manual. It governs how county employees may use AI (including generative AI), with safeguards for sensitive data and human accountability for outputs.
Technical detail
County of Santa Cruz AI policy (approved Sept. 19, 2023), codified in the county Procedures Manual, governs employee use of AI/generative AI tools in county operations.
Who is protected: Santa Cruz County residents
Who must comply: County of Santa Cruz employees and departments
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Santa Cruz County, CA |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2023-09-19 |
| Enacted | 2023-09-19 |
| Citation | County of Santa Cruz, AI Policy (Sept. 19, 2023) |
| Enforced by | County Administrative Office / Information Services |
| Private right of action | No — agency enforcement only |
| Topics | government use of AI · consumer data privacy · AI disclosure and transparency |
| Last verified | 2026-06-11 |
| Official source | County of Santa Cruz press release: AI Policy (Sept. 19, 2023) ↗ |
Related government use of AI rules elsewhere
- CA EO N-6-26 (AI Workforce) · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Arkansas public entity AI/ADS policy mandate (Act 848, 2025) · In effect
- One-year moratorium on data center development (Inver Grove Heights MN) · In effect
- FERC order directing PJM and other grid operators to reform · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- San Marcos citywide data center ban (Land Use Matrix amendme · In effect
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