Cybersecurity Policy Report, Citing Federal Inaction, California Governor Issues AI Security Order, (Sep 21, 2026)
State officials and “national experts” have been tasked with studying the feasibility of a “kill switch” to unplug AI (artificial intelligence) systems that go rogue under an executive order issued Friday by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D.).
The study group would have to submit its findings regarding “the technical feasibility and potential efficacy of amendments to existing state laws regarding AI safety and security” by Nov. 16, according to the order.
In addition to looking at kill switches, the group would study whether large AI developers should “embed designated independent verification organizations onsite in their labs to conduct periodic audits and evaluations,” it says.
The EO also calls for speeding work required under two bills, SB 813 and AB 1405, that Gov. Newsom signed into law last week. SB 813 would create independent panels of AI experts, academics, and government officials to devise voluntary AI safety standards, while AB 1405 establishes a state registry for AI auditors.
Gov. Newsom criticized President Trump and Congress over their inaction on AI security despite recent disclosures from AI developers about their models and agents conducting unauthorized cyber attacks. He cited the well-publicized attack on Hugging Face by agents that escaped an OpenAI testing environment, which led to the chief executive officers of Anthropic, OpenAI, and SpaceXAI expressing support for federal regulation of “frontier” AI systems (CPR, Sept. 14).
In response to those incidents, “the federal government has done nothing,” Gov. Newsom said in a news release. “No federal law requires AI companies to report dangerous incidents when they happen, and President Trump has rejected calls for new regulations that would increase security and protect the health, safety, and well-being of the American people.”
“The federal government’s abject failure to create any form of meaningful AI oversight or accountability should alarm every American, especially when AI CEOs themselves are begging for regulation,” he added.
“We’re not waiting to act—we’re going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it’s too late. We’re going to do this thoughtfully but with urgent velocity; the stakes are too high to wait or delay action,” he said.
State Sen. Jerry McNerney (D.), the sponsor of SB 813, agreed with the governor. “Gov. Newsom was absolutely justified in taking urgent action on AI safety following the recent revelations about the catastrophic risks posed by artificial intelligence,” Sen. McNerney said in a news release.
“Fast-tracking my SB 813 was the right thing to do. I also plan to introduce legislation in December to implement the governor’s recommendations on establishing AI safety standards, mandatory safety assessments, and more,” he said.
The order also won praise from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). “California Gov. Gavin Newsom's executive order is an opportunity for a needed, thoughtful conversation about artificial intelligence and its potential harms,” EFF said in a news release.
“Nonetheless, the most immediate and current concerns with this technology are not about sci-fi scenarios concerning rogue super-intelligence. They are happening right now through biased algorithmic decision-making for employment or government benefits, AI-powered surveillance systems such as Flock cameras, and artificially inflated personalized pricing,” EFF said.
“People want state and federal leaders to act, and we urge Gov. Newsom to develop thoughtful policies to address those concerns,” the group added. “Today’s EO is a good start.”
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