Bill Sponsor
California Assembly Bill 489
Session 20252026
Health care professions: deceptive terms or letters: artificial intelligence.
Became Law
Became Law
Became Law on Oct 11, 2025
Sponsor
First Action
Feb 10, 2025
Latest Action
Oct 11, 2025
Origin Chamber
Assembly
Type
Bill
Bill Number
489
State
California
Session
20252026
Sponsorship by Party
Assembly Votes (5)
Senate Votes (5)
Summary
Existing law establishes various healing arts boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs that license and regulate various healing arts licensees. Existing laws, including, among others, the Medical Practice Act and the Dental Practice Act, make it a crime for a person who is not licensed as a specified health care professional to use certain words, letters, and phrases or any other terms that imply that they are authorized to practice that profession. Existing law requires, with certain exemptions, a health facility, clinic, physician's office, or office of a group practice that uses generative artificial intelligence, as defined, to generate written or verbal patient communications pertaining to patient clinical information, as defined, to ensure that those communications include both (1) a disclaimer that indicates to the patient that a communication was generated by generative artificial intelligence, as specified, and (2) clear instructions describing how a patient may contact a human health care provider, employee, or other appropriate person. Existing law provides that a violation of these provisions by a physician shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, as appropriate. This bill would make provisions of law that prohibit the use of specified terms, letters, or phrases to falsely indicate or imply possession of a license or certificate to practice a health care profession, as defined, enforceable against an entity who develops or deploys artificial intelligence (AI) or generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology that uses one or more of those terms, letters, or phrases in its advertising or functionality. The bill would prohibit the use by AI or GenAI technology of certain terms, letters, or phrases that indicate or imply that the advice, care, reports, or assessments being provided through AI or GenAI is being provided by a natural person with the appropriated health care license or certificate. This bill would make a violation of these provisions subject to the jurisdiction of the appropriate health care profession board, and would make each use of a prohibited term, letter, or phrase punishable as a separate violation. By expanding the scope of existing crimes, this 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.
Documents (9)
10/11/2025
California State Legislature
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 615, Statutes of 2025.
10/11/2025
California State Legislature
Approved by the Governor.
09/15/2025
California State Legislature
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
09/08/2025
Assembly
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3026.).
09/04/2025
Assembly
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
09/04/2025
Senate
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2521.).
09/02/2025
Senate
Ordered to special consent calendar.
08/29/2025
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
08/29/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
08/18/2025
Senate
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
07/16/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
07/08/2025
Senate
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.
06/23/2025
Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
06/16/2025
Senate
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.
06/11/2025
Senate
Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and JUD.
06/03/2025
Senate
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
06/02/2025
Assembly
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1832.)
05/27/2025
Assembly
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
05/23/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
05/07/2025
Assembly
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
04/23/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
04/21/2025
Assembly
Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
04/10/2025
Assembly
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. Read second time and amended.
04/01/2025
Assembly
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 1). Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
04/01/2025
Assembly
Coauthors revised.
03/17/2025
Assembly
Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and P. & C.P.
02/11/2025
Assembly
From printer. May be heard in committee March 13.
02/10/2025
Assembly
Read first time. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Feb 12, 2025 3:57:19 PM
Record Updated
Nov 6, 2025 11:36:23 AM