Can California protect its AI regulations from Trump’s executive order?

This year California lawmakers passed a handful of measures regulating artificial intelligence. But President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are reigniting efforts to block states from regulating the technology — potentially upending these recent laws and prompting outcry from California officials. 

The Trump administration last week floated a draft of an executive order calling for a task force “whose sole responsibility” is to challenge state AI laws. Citing recent legislation passed by California and Colorado, the proposed order says the current regulatory framework allows “the most restrictive states to dictate national AI policy.” States found in violation of the order would have their federal funding withheld. 

The draft circulated as Trump took to social media to slam state AI “overregulation” and advocate for “one federal standard.”

Meanwhile, Republican members of Congress are considering a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual legislation to fund the military, that would preempt state authority to regulate AI. The proposal prompted more than 200 state legislators, including six Democrats from California, to fire off a letter Monday opposing the idea.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta also urged congressional leaders to reject the proposed language, arguing that preemption would undermine states’ abilities to respond “swiftly and effectively to emerging technologies” and allow AI companies to “evade commonsense state law protections.” Thirty-two of the world’s top 50 AI companies reside in California, according to Bonta’s office.

• The letter: “Any federal AI law should serve as a floor, not a ceiling, preserving flexibility for states to go further where necessary to protect their residents.”

The proposed executive order and bill language are the latest in a series of federal actions to prohibit states from regulating AI, following a failed effort earlier this year. In May Republicans from the U.S. House of Representatives advanced legislation that would have enacted a 10-year ban for states to enforce their AI laws, putting 20 state laws California passed in 2024 at risk. The U.S. Senate ultimately rejected that measure in July, after Democrats and a handful of Republicans arguing for state rights denounced the bill.

California utility regulators next month will vote on a proposal to lower the payout shareholders can receive from three major power companies — a potential decision that critics say won’t do enough to lower utility bills for millions of Californians, writes CalMatters’ Malena Carollo.

Known as a “return on equity,” this baked-in cost in utility bills goes toward shareholders for the risk of investing in utility companies. The California Public Utilities Commission is responsible for determining the state’s rates of return, and is proposing to drop this rate by 0.35% each for Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric.

If approved, the profit margins for all three companies would lower and shareholders would see a potential return next year of just under 10%. But critics also say that while the change can save millions of dollars for ratepayers across the state, it would make little difference for individuals. 

Read more here.

Catch up on the latest radio work from CalMatters reporters:

• Immigration raids: This fall CalMatters teamed up with Latino USA to tell the story of Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino and the aggressive immigration raids he’s helped unfurl across the country. This audio documentary features on-the-ground reporting from Bakersfield, El Centro, Los Angeles, Chicago and Mexico. We also spoke to elected leaders — including President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum, Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass — about their efforts to push back against the raids. Listen in English and in Spanish.

• Deadly drivers: California, the birthplace of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, now has some of the weakest DUI laws in the nation, according to a new investigation from CalMatters’ Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler. This is the latest installment of CalMatters’ License to Kill series about how California lets dangerous drivers stay on the road, even after they’ve killed people while driving. Listen to Robert discuss these new findings, and the series as a whole, on KCRW’s Press Play. 

• Helping kids heal: Mi Escuelita is a San Diego preschool dedicated to helping some of the tiniest survivors of domestic violence heal. Hear CalMatters’ Adriana Heldiz share more about Mi Escuelita on KPBS Roundtable, and view her moving visual essay on the school.