California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed groundbreaking legislation requiring the world’s largest artificial intelligence companies to publicly disclose their safety protocols and report critical incidents on their platforms, state lawmakers announced Monday.

Senate Bill 53 represents California’s most significant step yet to regulate the rapidly advancing AI sector in Silicon Valley while maintaining its status as a global technology hub.

Senator Scott Wiener, the bill’s sponsor, said in a statement, “With such transformative technology as AI, we have a responsibility to support this innovation while setting reasonable safeguards.”

The new law marks Wiener’s second successful attempt to establish rules ensuring AI safety after Newsom vetoed his previous bill, Senate Bill 1047, amid strong opposition from the tech sector.

This also follows a failed attempt by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to prevent states from enacting AI regulations, arguing it would create regulatory chaos and slow American innovation amid the race with China.

The new law requires major AI companies to publicly disclose their safety and security protocols in a revised format to protect intellectual property.

They must also notify state officials of critical safety incidents, including weapons threats, major cyberattacks, or loss of control over models, within a maximum of 15 days.

The legislation also provides whistleblower protections to employees who reveal evidence of risks or violations.

According to Wiener, California’s approach differs from the EU’s AI law, which requires private disclosures to government agencies, by mandating public disclosure to enhance accountability.