Bill Text: CA AB2905 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-06-18 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. [AB2905 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB2905-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  March 21, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2905

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Introduced by Assembly Member Low

February 15, 2024

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An act to amend Section 590 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to electricity. An act to amend Section 2871 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to telecommunications.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2905, as amended, Low. Electrical corporations: reporting. Telecommunications: 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 vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the commission to adopt inspection, maintenance, repair, and replacement standards for the distribution systems of electrical corporations in order to provide high-quality, safe, and reliable service. Existing law requires the commission to require each electrical corporation to report annually on its compliance with those standards. Existing law requires the electrical corporation’s report to be made available to the public, except as provided.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the public reporting provision.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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.

SECTION 1.Section 590 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

590.

The commission shall require each electrical corporation to report annually on its compliance with the standards or rules adopted by the commission pursuant to Section 364. The electrical corporation’s report shall be made available to the public, except that the commission may, consistent with any other law, withhold from the public information generated or obtained pursuant to this section that it deems would pose a security threat to the public if disclosed.