AB 1856 California 20252026 session
Age verification signals: software applications.
Existing law, the Digital Age Assurance Act (DAAA) , beginning January 1, 2027, requires, among other things related to age verification with respect to software applications, an operating system provider, as defined, to provide an accessible interface at account setup that requires an account holder, as defined, to indicate the birth date, age, or both, of the user of that device for the purpose of providing a signal regarding the user's age bracket to applications available in a covered application store. Existing law defines the term "user" for these purposes to mean a child that is the primary user of a device. This bill would, among other things, delete that definition of "user," would specify that the requirement of an operating system provider to provide an accessible interface applies if an operating system operates on a device and has an account setup feature, and would require the signal to be provided to a covered application store or application developer, as prescribed. The bill would prohibit a person from requesting a signal with respect to a particular user from an operating system provider or a covered application store if not required to do so by the DAAA or any other applicable law.
Status
- Introduced
- Committee
- Floor vote
- Passed
- Enacted
Passed both chambers — last recorded action August 27, 2026
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 69. Noes 0.).
Recorded votes
AB 1856 Wicks Concurrence in Senate Amendments
69 yes · 0 no · pass August 27, 2026
3rd Reading AB1856 Wicks By Padilla
40 yes · 0 no · pass August 26, 2026
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
9 yes · 0 no · pass June 29, 2026
Passage likelihood
Not enough recorded signal to estimate this bill's chances.
State-level impact
State-level impact data is not available for this bill. The source text does not contain a per-state funding formula or scored breakdown, so no figures are shown.
Official actions
- Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 69. Noes 0.).
- In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).
- In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
- Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
- From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 29).
- In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
- Referred to Com. on P., D.T., & C.P.
- In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
- Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 68. Noes 1.)
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
- From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 14).
- In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
- Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
- Read second time and amended.
- From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 1.) (April 21).
- In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
- From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. Read second time and amended.
- In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
- From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. Read second time and amended.
- Referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
- From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.
- Read first time. To print.