Newsom orders AI 'kill switch' planning; UC Merced, local agencies face new rules

Key Takeaways

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an order on Sept. 18 to speed new AI safety rules.
The directive asks for an emergency AI shutdown plan, often called a "kill switch."
UC Merced and Fresno Unified already have AI guidelines that may need updates.

The governor moved first. On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new executive order telling state agencies to draft stronger AI safety plans and propose changes in law. He said California won’t wait for Congress.

For Central Valley readers, the next version of AI rules won’t live only in Sacramento. They’ll shape how UC Merced, school districts, counties, and hospitals buy and run AI systems in classrooms and offices from Merced to Fresno.

A blue Bobcat sticker peeled at the edge of a campus laptop cart.

What the order does

The order directs state agencies to accelerate AI safeguards, including independent checks on high‑risk systems and an emergency shutoff mechanism for advanced models. It builds on earlier state actions that require big AI developers to publish safety frameworks and report certain incidents. Agencies now have to translate that into procurement standards, audits, and timelines.

The plain-English version: if a department or district buys a tool that scores essays, triages 911 calls, or flags benefit fraud, the seller may soon have to show a tested safety plan and a way to turn it off fast if it misbehaves. That means paperwork, but also accountability.

What changes in the Valley

UC Merced stood up an AI Advisory Council this year and lists supported tools for campus use. Fresno Unified has posted responsible‑use guidance for staff and students. The Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board adopted a generative‑AI policy for its programs this spring. Those are building blocks. Statewide rules could set a floor, add third‑party verification, and require tighter vendor attestations before contracts get signed in Merced County or at City Hall in Fresno.

County IT chiefs and K‑12 tech directors here should watch two areas first, because they touch daily work: how vendors prove they tested for bias and privacy risks, and who signs off on an emergency shutdown path when a tool starts producing errors at scale. Smaller agencies may need shared services to meet those checks, or they’ll stall purchases.

What local officials said, and didn’t

UC Merced has promoted training for Microsoft’s Copilot tools and built a campus assistant that sits on university knowledge. Fresno Unified’s guidance ties AI use to existing student‑data rules. Neither policy promises independent evaluation by an outside expert, which the state is now pushing toward. That gap matters if districts roll out AI grading or discipline tools, or if county HR uses AI in hiring.

I asked both institutions Friday about any immediate policy rewrites tied to the governor’s order. A spokesperson said they’re reviewing. No timelines yet.

"Washington needs to do its job," Newsom said.

Central Valley AI is produced by the CVAI Newsdesk team and developed by Kaweah Tech, a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.

Source

https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/business/article317295525.html