AB 1395 California Assembly · 2019-2020 Regular Session

Information privacy: other connected device with a voice recognition feature.

Summary
Existing law prohibits a person or entity from providing the operation of a voice recognition feature of a connected television within the state without prominently informing the specified user of the connected television during the initial setup or installation. Existing law prohibits any actual recordings of spoken word collected for a specified purpose through the operation of a voice recognition feature by the manufacturer of a connected television, or a contracting third party, from being sold or used for any advertising purpose. Existing law prohibits a person or entity from compelling a manufacturer or other entity providing the operation of a voice recognition feature to build specific features for the purpose of allowing an investigative or law enforcement officer to monitor communications through that feature. Existing law limits the liability of a manufacturer to functionality provided at the time of the original sale of a connected television and specifically excludes liability for functionality provided by applications the user chooses to use in the cloud or that are downloaded and installed by a user. Existing law prohibits a waiver of these prohibitions and authorizes their enforcement by injunction or civil penalty in a court of competent jurisdiction by the Attorney General or a district attorney. Existing law defines terms for these purposes. This bill would include smart speaker devices, as defined, in those provisions, thereby prohibiting, among other things, a person or entity from providing the operation of a voice recognition feature within the state without prominently informing the user during the initial setup or installation of a smart speaker device. The bill would prohibit any actual recordings or transcriptions collected or retained through the operation of a voice recognition feature by the manufacturer of a connected television or smart speaker device, that qualify as personal information or that are not deidentified, from being used for any advertising purpose, or being shared with, or sold to, a third party, unless the user has provided affirmative written consent, as defined. The bill would also prohibit them from being retained by the manufacturer, as specified, unless the user opts in to having that recording retained by the manufacturer either during installation or at a later time in the device settings. The bill would revise existing definitions and define additional terms for its purposes.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2019
Committee Review
Jul 2020
Assembly Passage
May 2019
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 22, 2019 Last action Jul 9, 2020
Floor votes · Assembly May 28, 2019

How they voted

42–6
Passed · 29 other
Total votes 77
May 28, 2019
D Democratic59
34 Yea 5 Nay 20
57% Yea
I Independent1
1 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican17
7 Yea 1 Nay 9
41% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
16
Key actions
6
Committee
5
Amendments
3
Jul 9, 2020
Upper · Passed
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
upper
Jun 6, 2019
Committee
Referred to Com. on JUD.
upper
May 28, 2019
Lower · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 44. Noes 6. Page 2043.)
lower
May 22, 2019
Lower · Passed
Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. (Page 1778.)
lower
May 6, 2019
Lower · Passed
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
lower
May 2, 2019
Lower · Passed
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 30).
lower
Apr 9, 2019
Committee
Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
lower
Mar 14, 2019
Committee
Referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
lower
Feb 23, 2019
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee March 25.
lower
Feb 22, 2019
Introduced
Introduced. To print.
lower
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors

Sponsors