Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Artificial Intelligence topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board of Behavioral Sciences backs bill to bar AI impersonating licensed health professionals
Summary
The Board of Behavioral Sciences voted to support Assembly Bill 489, which would give licensing boards authority to pursue enforcement against persons or entities that use AI systems to represent they are licensed health care providers.
At a public meeting, the California Board of Behavioral Sciences voted to support Assembly Bill 489 (Bonta), a bill that would prohibit a person or entity that develops or deploys an artificial intelligence system from representing or implying the system is a licensed health care provider. The board's motion to support the bill passed unanimously.
Board staff member Roseanne described the bill as expanding licensing-board jurisdiction to permit enforcement against companies as well as individuals. "This bill proposes prohibiting a person or entity who develops or deploys an AI or generative AI system from having that system represent or imply that it is a licensed health care provider by using prohibited terms, letters, or phrases," she told the board, noting the statute would make each use of a prohibited term a separate violation and allow licensing boards to pursue injunctions and administrative citations.
Board member Kelly gave a concrete example of the problem, citing a commercial website advertising "AI therapy in your pocket" that details psychotherapy approaches and only discloses in fine print that the assistant "is not a licensed mental health therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist." "It's clearly advertising unlawful practice of therapy because the person's it's not a person. It's an AI bot," Kelly said. Several board members agreed the bill is a first step but discussed whether amendments should require clearer disclosures for AI-delivered therapy even when not impersonating a person.
Public commenters and stakeholder groups spoke in favor. Shanti Ejren, representing the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), said CAMFT supports AB 489 because it "seeks to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of AI within the health care system." Ben Caldwell, MFT, also urged support, calling the bill an "imperfect bill" but a good place to start.
The board voted to support AB 489 and directed staff to continue conversations with the bill author’s office about the bill’s evolution and possible clarifying amendments.
Votes at the meeting were taken by roll call; the board recorded unanimous support for the motion.
