California Enacts Strongest AI Protections for Patients and Healthcare Workers

California Legislature Approves Landmark A.I. Protections for Health Care

The California Nurses Association (CNA) is celebrating a significant legislative victory as two bills they sponsored, AB 1979 and AB 2575, have successfully passed through the California Legislature. These bills, which are now awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom's decision, aim to establish the most robust protections nationwide for patients and health care professionals against unregulated artificial intelligence (A.I.) in the health care sector.

AB 1979 and AB 2575, focus on safeguarding patient care, supporting the professional judgment of nurses, and ensuring accountability for corporations that utilize A.I. technologies. Despite facing formidable opposition from hospital corporations, health plans, and tech industry groups, the bills were successfully passed, setting a precedent for other states and industries to follow.

Sandy Reding, RN and president of the California Nurses Association, emphasized the importance of these bills by stating, “Nurses fought for these bills because we are the last line of defense for our patients, and our employers know it.” She added that the trust placed in nurses by patients and the State of California should be mirrored by Governor Newsom through his approval of the legislation.

Authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta, AB 1979 mandates that A.I. cannot replace the clinical judgment of licensed health care professionals. It also requires A.I. applications accessing medical records to adhere to California’s medical confidentiality laws. Assemblymember Bonta remarked, “Technology should not replace human decision-making in health care,” highlighting the bill’s objective to maintain the integrity of the health care system.

AB 2575, introduced by Assemblymember Liz Ortega, ensures that health care workers can override unsafe A.I. outputs without retaliation and holds A.I. developers accountable for any harm caused by their systems. Ortega stated, “Most Californians want their nurse—not a robot—making the final call,” underscoring the bill’s focus on preserving human oversight in clinical decisions.

Lorena Gonzalez, President of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, further supported the legislative efforts, stating, "No machine can replace the judgment, compassion or human touch of a nurse." She emphasized the necessity of human control over A.I. tools to ensure they do not replace jobs.

Governor Newsom has until September 30, 2026, to either sign or veto the proposed legislation.

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is a prominent union representing over 100,000 registered nurses in California and more than 225,000 nationwide.

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