Addis Bill Reaches New Legislative Milestone to Protect Student Data

SACRAMENTO - Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay), announced the advancement of legislation that bolsters California's privacy framework to protect student data and close loopholes that allow sensitive personal information to be collected, shared, or monetized without safeguards.

"Students today face unprecedented threats to their privacy," said Addis. "From preschool through university, education now requires near constant use of digital platforms. As commercial generative AI enters classrooms, the risks to students' immigration, gender, reproductive and personal data have grown dramatically. AB 1159 is a commonsense solution that creates landmark privacy protections for students to reflect the increasingly online landscape in education."

Since its introduction, AB 1159 has garnered support from education groups and co-sponsors.

"We applaud the Assembly Judiciary Committee's passage today of AB 1159," said Mitchell Steiger, Legislative Representative, American Federation of Teachers. "This urgent legislation takes several important steps towards better protecting the date privacy of students when using education, technology, especially AI. We thank Assemblymember Addis for her work on this bill and look forward to doing all we can to help it get along the legislative process"

"Students should not have to choose between their grand and their privacy. AB 1159 gives students, families, and educators the peace of mind that the ed tech often required for students - from earlier learners to college - has the same strong privacy safeguards, as well as a way to ensure companies comply with the law," said Emory Roane, Associate Director of Policy, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. "We are pleased to partner with Assemblymember Addis in ensuring this important bill becomes law."

AB 1159 now heads to Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Dawn Addis was elected to the California State Assembly in 2022 to represent the coastal 30th Assembly District, which includes San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Santa Cruz Counties. She is the Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee 1 on Health.

CONTACT: Alexis Garcia-Arrazola, (831) 649-2832