Assembly Judiciary Committee advances bills on AI liability, elder‑abuse evidence, home‑sharing, prison sexual‑assault protections and other measures

The Assembly Judiciary Committee met in the morning for a multi‑hour hearing that included testimony and votes on a range of bills affecting technology liability, elder abuse litigation, housing and programs for older adults, survivor protections in state prisons, and procedural reforms for government claims and family reunification.

AB 316, by Assemblymember Krell, would bar companies and users from invoking an AI system’s alleged autonomy as a civil‑law defense. Krell and supporting witnesses told the panel the bill is intended as a narrow guardrail so developers and deployers cannot avoid responsibility when an AI‑powered feature causes harm. Mark Berman, CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety, described recent examples of AI harms to young people and urged the committee to move the bill. Opponents including Robert Boykin with TechNet said they were in respectful opposition and concerned about the bill’s impact; the committee moved AB 316 out of committee for further consideration.

AB 251, presented by Assemblymember Kalra, would allow a judge—after a finding of intentional destruction (spoliation) of evidence by a skilled‑nursing facility or RCFE—to apply the lower preponderance‑of‑the‑evidence standard in elder‑abuse civil cases. Supporters including Kanner, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, and Consumer Attorneys of California said the change is a narrow remedy to prevent spoliation from unfairly blocking meritorious claims. Opponents including the Civil Justice Association of California warned it could increase litigation and urged reliance on existing sanctions and procedures. The bill was moved by the committee with further action to follow.

AB 474 (Assemblymember Ward) would create incentives for nonprofit home‑sharing programs that match older homeowners who have spare rooms with people seeking affordable housing. Sponsors described benefits for low‑income older adults—income, companionship and help with household tasks—and said programs provide vetting and ongoing support. The bill includes a targeted tax exemption limited to low‑income home providers and removes a piece of the state’s so‑called “lodger/larger law” for participating matches; that repeal prompted extended debate about safety and…