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SB-1142 • 2026

Digital Dignity Act.

Digital Dignity Act.

Budget Technology
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Becker
Last action
2026-05-14
Official status
May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Digital Dignity Act.

SB 1142, as amended, Becker.

What This Bill Does

  • SB 1142, as amended, Becker.
  • Digital Dignity Act.
  • Existing law prohibits the false impersonation of another person in either that person’s personal or official capacity with the intent to steal or defraud, as specified.
  • Existing law protects all people from defamation, including libel and slander, as provided.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-14 California Legislative Information

    May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. 2026-05-12 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 14.

  3. 2026-05-11 California Legislative Information

    May 11 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  4. 2026-05-04 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 11.

  5. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  6. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0. Page 3978.) (April 21).

  7. 2026-04-10 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 21.

  8. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  9. 2026-04-07 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 3742.) (April 6).

  10. 2026-03-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P., D.T., & C.P.

  11. 2026-03-10 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 6.

  12. 2026-02-26 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on P., D.T., & C.P. and JUD.

  13. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21.

  14. 2026-02-18 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1142, as amended, Becker.
Digital Dignity Act.
Existing law prohibits the false impersonation of another person in either that person’s personal or official capacity with the intent to steal or defraud, as specified. Existing law protects all people from defamation, including libel and slander, as provided. Existing law makes any person who knowingly uses another’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness for commercial purposes, as specified, without that person’s prior consent liable for damages, as specified. Existing law provides that a party seeking relief pursuant to those provisions may also seek an injunction or temporary restraining order according to specified procedures.
This bill would enact the Digital Dignity Act. The act would subject to specified liability a person who, by distributing content with actual knowledge that the content includes
the use of
a digital replica,
violates
is found guilty of violating a
criminal
provisions in
provision for
which false impersonation of another is a required element, as prescribed, or is found liable
for defamation
in a civil
action,
action arising from the use or portrayal through a digital replica,
as provided.
The
Digital Dignity Act would require a
product, service, internet website, or application
large online platform
that
is both
includes
a generative AI tool, as defined,
and a large online platform
that
allows
provides
users
with the functionality
to create a
digital replica of other individuals to
implement and maintain
provide
a mechanism
by which users can revoke access to their
for individuals to report content that violates the platform’s terms of service or a provision of law relating to the individual’s
digital replica
created by other people using the large online platform’s generative AI tool
at any time,
and to submit to the large online platform any certified court order or judgment ordering the removal of any content involving the individual’s digital replica on the platform or finding that content involving the individual’s digital replica was defamatory, fraudulent, or any other form of image appropriation not permitted by law,
as prescribed.
Upon receipt of the court order or judgment, the act would require the large online platform to remove the digital replica and make reasonable efforts to identify and remove any known identical copies.
The act would authorize a city attorney or the Attorney General to bring a civil action to enforce these provisions and to seek a specified civil penalty and injunctive relief. The act would require a generative AI tool provider to
maintain, for no less than 90 days, records sufficient to allow compliance with a court order issued pursuant to a civil action by the city attorney or Attorney General, as prescribed.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Download Bill PDF