Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires testing before use of automated systems that make consequential decisions about employment, education, housing, health care, financial services, and parts of the criminal justice system in California.

Highlights:

• Amends and generally regulates the development and deployment of an automated decision system (ADS) used to make consequential decisions, as defined (Sec. 1-3).

• Defines “automated decision system” to mean a computational process derived from machine learning, statistical modeling, data analytics, or artificial intelligence that issues simplified output, including a score, classification, or recommendation, that is designed or used to assist or replace human discretionary decisionmaking and materially impacts natural persons (Sec. 1-3).

• Requires a developer of a covered ADS, as defined, to take certain actions, including conduct performance evaluations of the covered ADS and provide deployers to whom the developer transfers the covered ADS with certain information, including the results of those performance evaluations (Sec. 1-3).

• Requires a deployer of a covered ADS to take certain actions, including provide certain disclosures to a subject of a consequential decision made or facilitated by the covered ADS and provide the subject with an opportunity to appeal the outcome of the consequential decision as prescribed beginning January 1, 2027 (Sec. 1-3).

• Requires a developer, deployer, or auditor to, within 30 days of receiving a request from the Attorney General, provide an unredacted copy of the performance evaluation prepared pursuant to the bill to the Attorney General and would exempt those records from the California Public Records Act (Sec. 1-3).

• Authorizes certain public entities, including the Attorney General, to bring a specified civil action for noncompliance (Sec. 1-3).

• Requires that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest (Sec. 1-3).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text