SB 1159 – An AI Bot is Not a “Person” for the Purpose of Various Open Government Laws

Various provisions of existing law, including the California Public Records Act (CPRA) and the Ralph M. Brown Act, provide, with some exceptions, for public access to government records and meetings of government bodies.

SB 1159 clarifies that AI systems, robots, and other nonhuman entities are not “persons,” members of the public, or other participants entitled to exercise rights under the CPRA, the Legislative Open Records Act, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the California Coastal Act of 1976, and CEQA.

SB 1159 amends Sections 7920.520, 9072, 11405.70, and 11500 of the Government Code, adds Sections 8319, 11121.5, 11342.575, 11370.1.5, and 54951.5 to the Government Code, and amends Sections 21066 and 30111 of the Public Resources Code.