California Faces Cost Fight Over 23 AI and Privacy Bills Ahead of Aug. 29 Deadline

California lawmakers are weighing an unprecedented slate of measures that would regulate artificial-intelligence and data-privacy practices across the state, with 23 of 31 active bills due for decisive appropriations-committee votes on 29 August — the last day fiscal panels can move legislation to the floor. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on 12 September, leaving a narrow window for final passage. Among the most closely watched proposals is Senate Bill 7, which would require employers to give workers 30 days’ notice before using AI in decisions on hiring, firing or pay, and would bar algorithms from inferring sensitive traits such as immigration status or health. Committee staff estimate state-agency compliance could cost about $600,000, a figure business groups say understates the broader expense for the private sector. Assembly Bill 1018 would mandate pre-deployment testing of automated decision systems that affect employment, housing, education, health care and finance, while providing individuals a 30-day window to appeal AI-driven outcomes. Analysts warn the measure could expose state and local governments to costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Other pending bills address data-broker registration, geolocation tracking, opt-out preference signals and disclosure rules for large AI developers. Supporters, including labor unions and digital-rights advocates, argue the package is needed to curb workplace surveillance and algorithmic discrimination, while opponents led by technology and health-care lobbies say compliance burdens could stifle innovation and raise consumer prices.