Bill Full Text
Home
-
Bills
-
Bill
-
Authors
-
Dates
-
Locations
-
Analyses
-
Organizations
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<ns0:MeasureDoc xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:ns0="http://lc.ca.gov/legalservices/schemas/caml.1#" xmlns:ns3="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="1.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://lc.ca.gov/legalservices/schemas/caml.1# xca.1.xsd">
<ns0:Description>
<ns0:Id>20250AB__224697AMD</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>97</ns0:VersionNum>
<ns0:History>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-19</ns0:ActionDate>
</ns0:Action>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-19</ns0:ActionDate>
</ns0:Action>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-04-06</ns0:ActionDate>
</ns0:Action>
</ns0:History>
<ns0:LegislativeInfo>
<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>AB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>2246</ns0:MeasureNum>
<ns0:MeasureState>AMD</ns0:MeasureState>
</ns0:LegislativeInfo>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Wicks</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Wicks</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
</ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Title> An act to add Chapter 22.1.5 (commencing with Section 22583) to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to business.</ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>business</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Online service, product, or feature: access by children.</ns0:Subject>
</ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>Existing law, the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, requires a business that provides an online service, product, or feature likely to be accessed by children to comply with certain requirements, including, among other things, prohibiting the business from profiling a child by default or using personal information for any reason other than the reason for which that information was collected, except as specified. Existing law imposes specified civil penalties upon a business that violates these provisions.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would impose similar provisions without the above-referenced exceptions and would impose civil penalties for a violation of these
provisions.</html:p>
</ns0:DigestText>
<ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
</ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:MeasureIndicators>
<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
<ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
</ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
</ns0:MeasureIndicators>
</ns0:Description>
<ns0:Bill id="bill">
<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_0B5344A4-D0A3-4D5E-B352-2C28403BE79F">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:ActionLine action="IS_ADDED" ns3:href="urn:caml:codes:BPC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'DIVISION'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'8.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'CHAPTER'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'22.1.5.'%5D)" ns3:label="fractionType: LAW_SPREAD||commencingWith: 22583" ns3:type="locator">
Chapter 22.1.5 (commencing with Section 22583) is added to Division 8 of the
<ns0:DocName>Business and Professions Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
</ns0:ActionLine>
<ns0:Fragment>
<ns0:LawHeading id="id_F22353EA-C8C1-4D2A-9522-8E87E24AD31D" type="CHAPTER">
<ns0:Num>22.1.5.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawHeadingVersion id="id_152ED882-B1D4-46BB-AD04-97C610C2C689">
<ns0:LawHeadingText>Online Services, Products, or Features Likely to be Accessed by Children</ns0:LawHeadingText>
</ns0:LawHeadingVersion>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_8C200E9C-1A30-48BE-9BC6-01076A9CB240">
<ns0:Num>22583.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_868D2249-7B93-490B-8278-A286DC824B16">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For purposes of this chapter, the definitions in Section 1798.140 of the Civil Code shall apply unless otherwise specified in this chapter.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For the purposes of this chapter:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Child” or “children,” unless otherwise specified, means a consumer or consumers who are under 18 years of age.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Default” means a preselected option adopted by the business for the online service, product, or feature.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Likely to be accessed by children” means it is reasonable to expect, based on the following indicators, that the online service, product, or
feature would be accessed by children:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The online service, product, or feature is directed to children as defined by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 6501 et seq.).
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The online service, product, or feature is determined, based on competent and reliable evidence regarding audience composition, to be routinely accessed by a significant number of children.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An online service, product, or feature with advertisements marketed to children.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(D)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An online service, product, or feature that is substantially similar or the same as an online service, product, or feature subject to subparagraph (B).
</html:p>
<html:p>
(E)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An online service, product, or feature that has design
elements that are known to be of interest to children, including, but not limited to, games, cartoons, music, and celebrities who appeal to children.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(F)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A significant amount of the audience of the online service, product, or feature is determined, based on internal company research, to be children.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Online service, product, or feature” does not mean any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A broadband internet access service, as defined in Section 3100 of the Civil Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A telecommunications service, as defined in Section 153 of Title 47 of the United States Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The delivery or use of a physical product.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Profiling” means
any form of automated processing of personal information that uses personal information to evaluate certain aspects relating to a natural person, including analyzing or predicting aspects concerning a natural person’s performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location, or movements.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_93606FDA-7FBE-4B81-94CB-5646257B7607">
<ns0:Num>22583.1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_68FAF206-30E1-48FF-878F-48C17F0B18E4">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A business that provides an online service, product, or feature likely to be accessed by children shall take all of the following actions:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Estimate the age of child users with a reasonable level of certainty appropriate to the risks that arise from the data management practices of the business or apply the privacy and data protections afforded to children to all consumers.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Configure all default privacy settings provided to children by the online service, product, or feature to settings that offer a high level of privacy, unless the business can demonstrate a compelling reason that a different setting is in the best interests of children.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Provide any privacy information, terms of service, policies, and community standards concisely, prominently, and using clear language suited to the age of children likely to access that online service, product, or feature.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If the online service, product, or feature allows the child’s parent, guardian, or any other consumer to monitor the child’s online activity or track the child’s location, provide an obvious signal to the child when the child is being monitored or tracked.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Provide prominent, accessible, and responsive tools to help children, or if applicable their parents or guardians, exercise their privacy rights and report concerns.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A business that provides an online service, product, or feature likely to be accessed by children shall
not take any of the following actions:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Use the personal information of any child in a way that the business knows, or has reason to know, will cause an average child likely to access the online service, product, or feature either of the following harms:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Significant mental suffering or distress that may, but does not necessarily, require medical or other professional treatment or counseling.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Discrimination against the child on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, or national origin.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Profile a child by default.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Collect, sell, share, or retain any personal information that is not necessary to
provide an online service, product, or feature with which a child is actively and knowingly engaged, or as described in subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.145 of the Civil Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If the end user is a child, use personal information for any reason other than a reason for which that personal information was collected.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Collect, sell, or share any precise geolocation information of children by default unless the collection of that precise geolocation information is strictly necessary for the business to provide the service, product, or feature requested and then only for the limited time that the collection of precise geolocation information is necessary to provide the service, product, or feature.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Collect any precise geolocation information of a child
without providing an obvious sign to the child for the duration of that collection that precise geolocation information is being collected.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(7)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Use dark patterns to lead or encourage children to provide personal information beyond what is reasonably expected to provide that online service, product, or feature to forego privacy protections.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(8)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Use any personal information collected to estimate age or age range for any other purpose or retain that personal information longer than necessary to estimate age. Age assurance shall be proportionate to the risks and data practice of an online service, product, or feature.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a business to prevent or preclude a child from accessing or viewing any piece of media or category of
media.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_A87EB4C2-8985-4AFE-9F45-DBA1B594A59A">
<ns0:Num>22583.2.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_F7A84011-ADEC-4383-9ED1-D6A522131AA7">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any business that violates this chapter shall be subject to an injunction and liable for a civil penalty of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per affected child for each negligent violation or not more than seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) per affected child for each intentional violation, which shall be assessed and recovered only in a civil action brought in the name of the people of the State of California by the Attorney General.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Any penalties, fees, and expenses recovered in an action brought under this chapter shall be deposited in the Consumer Privacy Fund, created within the General Fund pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1798.160 of the Civil Code, with the intent that they be used
to fully offset costs incurred by the Attorney General in connection with this chapter.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted to serve as the basis for a private right of action under this chapter or any other law.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Attorney General may solicit broad public participation and adopt regulations to clarify the requirements of this chapter.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_12BA578F-15D7-4C08-8689-04FD1EA4B382">
<ns0:Num>22583.3.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_936FB159-808D-46E6-96D6-CFD229659F47">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>This chapter does not apply to the information or entities described in subdivision (c) of Section 1798.145 of the Civil Code.</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_C25D99D1-AA92-4F50-B7EB-A611F58B0EAC">
<ns0:Num>22583.4.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_86B3CDCF-D34D-4C67-A30E-062C31C59D59">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
</ns0:LawHeading>
</ns0:Fragment>
</ns0:BillSection>
</ns0:Bill>
</ns0:MeasureDoc>