California Establish Public Benefit AI Accountability Commission Initiative (2026)
| California Establish Public Benefit AI Accountability Commission Initiative | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic Business regulations |
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| Status |
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| Type Initiated state statute |
Origin |
Not on the ballot
The California Establish Public Benefit AI Accountability Commission Initiative (#25-0033) is not on the ballot in California as an initiated state statute on November 3, 2026.
Measure design
- See also: Text of measure
The initiative would have created the California Public Benefit AI Accountability Commission within the state's Department of Justice. The initiative would have required AI companies to file public benefit plans to be approved by the commission that described how an AI company would fulfill its commitment to serve humanity or the public interest.[1]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title was as follows:[2]
| “ | Regulates certain public benefit corporations and nonprofits engaged in artificial intelligence (AI) development. Initiative statute. | ” |
Petition summary
The summary provided for inclusion on signature petition sheets was as follows:[2]
| “ | Creates new California Public Benefit AI Accountability Commission within the California Department of Justice, comprised of seven appointed members with specified expertise, to regulate AI companies that were incorporated as “public benefit corporations” or nonprofits under California law. Regulated companies must: (1) demonstrate their public benefit; (2) assist workers displaced by AI; (3) mitigate potential risks of AI systems; and (4) obtain Commission approval before substantially expanding AI system capabilities. Authorizes Commission to set standards for companies’ public benefit plans and ensure they use assets for stated public benefit.[3] | ” |
Full text
The full text of the initiative can be read here.
Path to the ballot
An initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are 21 states that allow citizens to initiate state statutes, including 14 that provide for direct initiatives and nine (9) that provide for indirect initiatives (two provide for both). An indirect initiated state statute goes to the legislature after a successful signature drive. The legislatures in these states have the option of approving the initiative itself, rather than the initiative appearing on the ballot.
In California, the number of signatures required for an initiated state statute is equal to 5% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval. The requirements to get initiated state statutes certified for the 2026 ballot:
- Signatures: 546,651 valid signatures are required.
- Deadline: The deadline for signature verification is June 25, 2026. However, the secretary of state suggested deadlines for turning in signatures of January 12, 2026, for initiatives needing a full check of signatures and April 17, 2026, for initiatives needing a random sample of signatures verified.
Initiative #25-0033
The following is the timeline of the initiative:[2]
- December 1, 2025: Alexander Oldham filed the initiative with the California Attorney General's Office.[1]
- February 4, 2026: The initiative was cleared for signature gathering.
- February 26, 2026: The initiative was withdrawn.
See also
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 California Secretary of State, "Initiative 25-0033 text," accessed December 3, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 California Secretary of State, "Initiative and Referendum Qualification Status," accessed December 3, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
