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    AB-489
    Health & Public Health

    Health care professions: deceptive terms or letters: artificial intelligence.

    Enrolled
    CA
    ∙
    2025-2026 Regular Session
    0
    1
    Track
    Track

    Key Takeaways

    • Prohibits AI/GenAI from using terms that imply licensure to practice health care.
    • Enforces by licensing boards with injunctive relief and separate violations.
    • Leaves penalties undefined; enforcement relies on boards, creating a state-mandated local program.

    Summary

    With Assembly Member Bonta at the helm and a broad slate of coauthors, the bill creates a new regulatory framework to prevent artificial intelligence and GenAI outputs from implying licensure to practice health care. It adds a new chapter to the Business and Professions Code focused on health advice from AI, defining AI and GenAI by reference to Government Code definitions and treating health care professions as those subject to licensure or regulation under the division or related acts. Enforcement is placed with the appropriate health care licensing boards or enforcement agencies, with injunctive relief available and each use of a prohibited term treated as a separate violation. The act also notes that no local reimbursement is required and that the measure expands the scope of crimes in a way that local agencies may need to address.

    The bill prohibits the use by AI or GenAI systems of terms, letters, or phrases that indicate or imply that care, advice, reports, or assessments generated by the technology are provided by a natural person holding the appropriate license. It extends enforcement to entities that develop or deploy AI/GenAI technology when those terms appear in advertising or in the technology’s functionality. The jurisdiction for enforcement lies with the relevant health care licensing boards or enforcement agencies, and boards may pursue injunctive relief to enforce the provisions. Additionally, each instance of a prohibited term constitutes a separate violation, creating multiple potential actions for a single product or deployment. The measure interacts with existing requirements that facilities using AI disclose AI-generated communications and provide a path to human contact, by adding a broader prohibition on misrepresentation in AI advertising and outputs.

    From an implementation and policy-context perspective, the bill relies on Government Code definitions of AI and GenAI and broadly defines “health care profession” to cover licensure or regulation under the division or related acts. It does not specify monetary penalties within the new chapter itself and foregoes an explicit state appropriation, instead leaning on licensing boards’ existing enforcement authorities. The fiscal note indicates no local reimbursement is required, but the act is characterized as a state-mandated local program due to the expansion of crime scope. Stakeholders include licensing boards, health care facilities, AI developers and vendors, and patients, who would be affected by audits of AI outputs, required guardrails, and potential investigations by boards for misrepresentations in AI-generated content or advertising. The measure thus situates AI misrepresentation within the state’s professional-licensing enforcement framework and complements current health communications requirements around AI-generated patient information.

    Key Dates

    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AB 489 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Senate Floor
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Special Consent AB489 Bonta et al. By Weber Pierson
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Placed on suspense file
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
    Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AB 489 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Assembly Privacy And Consumer Protection Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Privacy And Consumer Protection Hearing
    Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
    Assembly Business And Professions Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Business And Professions Hearing
    Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy and Consumer Protection]
    Introduced
    Assembly Floor
    Introduced
    Read first time. To print.

    Contacts

    Profile
    Marc BermanD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Akilah Weber PiersonD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Lori WilsonD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Dawn AddisD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 9 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 2
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Marc BermanD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Akilah Weber PiersonD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Lori WilsonD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Dawn AddisD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Jasmeet BainsD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Josh LowenthalD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Gail PellerinD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Angelique AshbyD
    Senator
    Bill Author

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Mia Bonta
    Mia BontaD
    California State Assembly Member
    Co-Authors
    Dawn Addis
    Dawn AddisD
    California State Assembly Member
    Jasmeet Bains
    Jasmeet BainsD
    California State Assembly Member
    Marc Berman
    Marc BermanD
    California State Assembly Member
    Angelique Ashby
    Angelique AshbyD
    California State Senator
    Josh Lowenthal
    Josh LowenthalD
    California State Assembly Member
    Gail Pellerin
    Gail PellerinD
    California State Assembly Member
    Akilah Weber Pierson
    Akilah Weber PiersonD
    California State Senator
    Lori Wilson
    Lori WilsonD
    California State Assembly Member
    70% progression
    Bill has passed both houses in identical form and is being prepared for the Governor (9/8/2025)

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    September 8, 2025
    PASS
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    790180PASS

    Key Takeaways

    • Prohibits AI/GenAI from using terms that imply licensure to practice health care.
    • Enforces by licensing boards with injunctive relief and separate violations.
    • Leaves penalties undefined; enforcement relies on boards, creating a state-mandated local program.

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Mia Bonta
    Mia BontaD
    California State Assembly Member
    Co-Authors
    Dawn Addis
    Dawn AddisD
    California State Assembly Member
    Jasmeet Bains
    Jasmeet BainsD
    California State Assembly Member
    Marc Berman
    Marc BermanD
    California State Assembly Member
    Angelique Ashby
    Angelique AshbyD
    California State Senator
    Josh Lowenthal
    Josh LowenthalD
    California State Assembly Member
    Gail Pellerin
    Gail PellerinD
    California State Assembly Member
    Akilah Weber Pierson
    Akilah Weber PiersonD
    California State Senator
    Lori Wilson
    Lori WilsonD
    California State Assembly Member

    Summary

    With Assembly Member Bonta at the helm and a broad slate of coauthors, the bill creates a new regulatory framework to prevent artificial intelligence and GenAI outputs from implying licensure to practice health care. It adds a new chapter to the Business and Professions Code focused on health advice from AI, defining AI and GenAI by reference to Government Code definitions and treating health care professions as those subject to licensure or regulation under the division or related acts. Enforcement is placed with the appropriate health care licensing boards or enforcement agencies, with injunctive relief available and each use of a prohibited term treated as a separate violation. The act also notes that no local reimbursement is required and that the measure expands the scope of crimes in a way that local agencies may need to address.

    The bill prohibits the use by AI or GenAI systems of terms, letters, or phrases that indicate or imply that care, advice, reports, or assessments generated by the technology are provided by a natural person holding the appropriate license. It extends enforcement to entities that develop or deploy AI/GenAI technology when those terms appear in advertising or in the technology’s functionality. The jurisdiction for enforcement lies with the relevant health care licensing boards or enforcement agencies, and boards may pursue injunctive relief to enforce the provisions. Additionally, each instance of a prohibited term constitutes a separate violation, creating multiple potential actions for a single product or deployment. The measure interacts with existing requirements that facilities using AI disclose AI-generated communications and provide a path to human contact, by adding a broader prohibition on misrepresentation in AI advertising and outputs.

    From an implementation and policy-context perspective, the bill relies on Government Code definitions of AI and GenAI and broadly defines “health care profession” to cover licensure or regulation under the division or related acts. It does not specify monetary penalties within the new chapter itself and foregoes an explicit state appropriation, instead leaning on licensing boards’ existing enforcement authorities. The fiscal note indicates no local reimbursement is required, but the act is characterized as a state-mandated local program due to the expansion of crime scope. Stakeholders include licensing boards, health care facilities, AI developers and vendors, and patients, who would be affected by audits of AI outputs, required guardrails, and potential investigations by boards for misrepresentations in AI-generated content or advertising. The measure thus situates AI misrepresentation within the state’s professional-licensing enforcement framework and complements current health communications requirements around AI-generated patient information.

    70% progression
    Bill has passed both houses in identical form and is being prepared for the Governor (9/8/2025)

    Key Dates

    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AB 489 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Senate Floor
    Vote on Senate Floor
    Special Consent AB489 Bonta et al. By Weber Pierson
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Placed on suspense file
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Judiciary Hearing
    Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
    Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Hearing
    Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AB 489 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Do pass
    Assembly Privacy And Consumer Protection Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Privacy And Consumer Protection Hearing
    Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
    Assembly Business And Professions Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Business And Professions Hearing
    Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy and Consumer Protection]
    Introduced
    Assembly Floor
    Introduced
    Read first time. To print.

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    September 8, 2025
    PASS
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    790180PASS

    Contacts

    Profile
    Marc BermanD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Akilah Weber PiersonD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Lori WilsonD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Dawn AddisD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 9 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 2
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Marc BermanD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Akilah Weber PiersonD
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Mia BontaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Lori WilsonD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Dawn AddisD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Jasmeet BainsD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Josh LowenthalD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Gail PellerinD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Angelique AshbyD
    Senator
    Bill Author