Bill Text: CA AB2512 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 2512

Bill Title: Telecommunications: automatic dialing-announcing devices: artificial voices.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-27 - Re-referred to Com. on C. & C. [AB2512 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB2512-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly February 26, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2512

Introduced by Assembly Member Jim Patterson

February 13, 2024

An act to amend Section ~~270~~ 2871 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to telecommunications.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2512, as amended, Jim Patterson. Telecommunications: ~~universal service programs.~~ automatic dialing-announcing devices: artificial voices.

Existing law authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to control and regulate the connection of an automatic dialing-announcing device to a telephone line. Existing law defines “automatic dialing-announcing device” as any automatic equipment that incorporates a storage capability of telephone numbers to be called, or a random or sequential number generator capable of producing numbers to be called, and the capability, working alone or in conjunction with other equipment, to disseminate a prerecorded message to the telephone number called. Existing law imposes various requirements on the use of an automatic dialing-announcing device.
This bill would expand that definition of “automatic dialing-announcing device” to include calls made using an artificial voice, as specified.
Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.
Because a violation of a commission action implementing this bill’s requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes 6 funds in the State Treasury through which the state’s universal service programs for communications are funded. Existing law requires moneys in the funds to be expended only for specified purposes and only upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act or upon supplemental appropriation.
~~This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to this requirement.~~

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NOYES Local Program: NOYES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 2871 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

2871.

(a) As used in this article, “automatic dialing-announcing device” means any automatic equipment ~~which~~ that incorporates a storage capability of telephone numbers to be called or a random or sequential number generator capable of producing numbers to be called and the capability, working alone or in conjunction with other equipment, to disseminate a prerecorded ~~message~~ message, or to make a call using an artificial voice, to the telephone number called.

(b) For purposes of this section, “artificial voice” includes a voice simulated or generated using artificial intelligence.

SEC. 2.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.