Key facts
- California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 1130.
- The bill sought to ban secret recordings with wearable devices.
- Newsom cited overly broad definitions and existing protections as reasons for the veto.
- Violators could have faced fines or prison time.
- Wearable makers not complying would also have faced fines.
- The bill aimed to regulate smart glasses and similar devices.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have made it illegal to secretly record people using wearable recording devices. Newsom stated in a letter to lawmakers on Wednesday that he declined to sign Senate Bill 1130 because its definition of wearable recording devices was "too broadly or imprecisely" defined, potentially leading to confusion and unintended consequences. He also noted that the bill's proposed protections already exist in California law.
The legislation, if passed, would have made California the first state to regulate smart glasses and similar technologies. Violators could have faced fines or imprisonment, and manufacturers failing to comply would also have been subject to penalties. The bill's author, state senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, intended it to help California respond to the increasing prevalence of devices like internet-connected glasses from Meta and Snap that are equipped with cameras and microphones.