California Governor Newsom signs SB 813 and AB 1405 to set up independent AI audits
Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 813 and AB 1405 on 9 September 2026, creating a framework for independent AI verifiers and a state registry of AI auditors.
By Emre A.Published
Tech AI LatestCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom signed two AI bills on 9 September 2026. SB 813 by Senator Jerry McNerney creates a framework for certifying independent verification organizations that assess AI systems and models for safety and risk. AB 1405 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan creates a state registry for AI auditors with standards for independence, transparency and integrity. The governor's office calls them first-in-the-nation and builds them on the 2025 frontier AI law SB 53.
Key facts
- Signed: 9 September 2026 by Governor Gavin Newsom (governor's office)
- SB 813 (McNerney): framework for independent verification organizations that assess AI systems and models
- AB 1405 (Bauer-Kahan): state registry for AI auditors with independence, transparency and integrity standards
- Builds on SB 53, the 2025 Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act
- Not stated in the announcement: start dates, fees, or which companies must use the auditors
What Governor Newsom signed
California's governor's office announced on 9 September 2026 that Gavin Newsom had signed Senate Bill 813 and Assembly Bill 1405. SB 813, by Senator Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton), establishes a framework for independent verification organizations that can assess AI systems and models for compliance with state law. AB 1405, by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), creates a state registry for AI auditors and sets standards for their independence, transparency and integrity.
The governor's office says that together the bills create a framework for independent third-party evaluation and audits. It frames them as a step toward more accountability as AI is built into critical sectors of the state's economy and public life.
What the sponsors and the governor said
Newsom said recent incidents reinforce the need for safeguards, and he called on the federal government to adopt national regulations that match the urgency of the moment. Senator McNerney said the law codifies one of the main recommendations of the governor's expert panel on AI by setting up independent, third-party evaluations. He also said that the week's news showed powerful AI systems combined with agents pose real threats. Bauer-Kahan said the industry cannot be expected to grade its own homework and that third-party auditors can identify risks and verify claims.
How it fits California's AI rules
The new laws sit on top of SB 53, the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act signed in 2025. SB 53 requires frontier AI developers to publish safety frameworks, report certain critical safety incidents to the state and protect whistleblowers. SB 813 and AB 1405 add a way to check such claims from outside the companies, through certified verifiers and registered auditors.
The governor's office places the bills in a longer list of state actions. It cites a 2023 executive order on the safe use of AI in state government, a 2024 package of laws on deepfakes, watermarking, children and workers, an executive order earlier in 2026 on AI procurement and civil liberties, and an AI Cyber Defense Program announced in August 2026 inside the California Cybersecurity Integration Center.
The announcement does not say when the certification process opens, which state body runs it, what it costs, or whether any company must hire a verifier. Those details are not stated in the announcement. Without them, the practical effect on AI developers is still unclear.
What to watch next
The next steps are the implementing rules: application criteria for verification organizations and the auditor registry. Watch for a state agency to be named and for deadlines. Other US state and federal moves are tracked under AI Policy & Regulation.
What changed
| Before | California's frontier AI law SB 53 relied on companies' own published safety frameworks and incident reports, with no state framework for outside verifiers or auditors |
|---|---|
| After | SB 813 sets up certified independent verification organizations for AI systems and models, and AB 1405 creates a state registry and standards for AI auditors |
| Who it affects | AI developers operating in California, firms that want to offer AI audits, and California regulators |
Questions people ask
- What does California SB 813 do?
- It establishes a framework for certifying independent verification organizations that can assess AI systems and models for safety and risk and for compliance with state law, according to the governor's office.
- What does AB 1405 add?
- AB 1405 creates a state registry for AI auditors and sets standards for their independence, transparency and integrity.
- Do AI companies have to use these auditors?
- The governor's announcement does not say. It describes the framework but gives no mandate, start date or fee.
Sources
- Governor Newsom signs first-in-the-nation AI safeguards to protect Californians, calls on the federal government to do its part (Office of the Governor of California, 9 Sep 2026)
Reference pages
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