Will California make AI layoffs a matter of public record? Three bills now sit with the governor

California's legislature passed three AI employment bills at the end of August 2026, and Governor Newsom has until September 30 to sign or veto them. The one that matters most for counting job losses is SB 951, which would amend Cal/WARN so that any mass layoff, relocation or termination caused in whole or substantial part by an AI system or other automated technology that replaces or automates jobs must carry the line "This notice is for a technology displacement" at the top. The notice would have to identify the number, classification and work location of those layoffs, the job functions being automated, and the specific category of AI system responsible, with the Employment Development Department publishing summaries and quarterly statewide totals. SB 947 would require a human to corroborate any automated system used to discipline or fire someone, carrying a $500 penalty; Newsom vetoed an earlier version last year. AB 1883 would bar workplace surveillance tools from inferring emotional state or collecting neural data.