# Gov. Newsom orders expanded AI oversight, calls for emergency ‘kill switch’ > Source: > Published: 2026-09-18 21:51:39+00:00 **Getting your** [Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready... [Artificial intelligence](https://www.ocregister.com/tag/artificial-intelligence) companies operating across California could face expanded independent safety oversight and requirements for an emergency “kill switch” under an executive order issued today by [Gov. Gavin Newsom](https://www.ocregister.com/tag/gavin-newsom). The order directs the California Government Operations Agency to accelerate implementation of recently enacted AI oversight laws and, in consultation with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, convene national experts to recommend additional safeguards for advanced AI systems. The group is expected to provide recommendations within two months on ways California could strengthen its AI safety and security laws. Among the proposals to be considered is a requirement that companies developing advanced, or “frontier,” AI models create an emergency shutoff mechanism, commonly referred to as a kill switch. The effectiveness of such a system could be subject to ongoing verification by an independent organization. The experts will also consider requiring frontier AI companies to have independent verification organizations on site to conduct regular audits and evaluations. Other potential changes include requiring independent verification of safety frameworks, transparency reports and risk assessments filed by AI companies and expanding the state’s definition of critical safety incidents to include incidents involving a loss of control. “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,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re going to do this thoughtfully but with urgent velocity; the stakes are too high to wait or delay action.” The executive order follows Newsom’s signing last week of Senate Bill 813 and Assembly Bill 1405, which established new requirements involving independent assessments and audits of AI systems. SB 813 establishes a framework for certifying independent verification organizations to assess AI systems and models for compliance with state law. AB 1405 creates a state registry for AI auditors and establishes standards governing their independence, transparency and integrity. Newsom’s order directs state officials to accelerate implementation of both laws. The governor’s office said the action was prompted in part by recent AI security incidents and concerns raised by researchers and industry leaders about increasingly powerful AI systems. Newsom also called on the federal government to adopt California’s AI regulatory framework or use the state’s standards as a baseline for national regulation. “While Washington abdicates its responsibility to protect Americans, California is building on the strongest AI regulatory framework in the nation,” Newsom said. “California has already built a national model, and our policy should be the national baseline.” California already requires developers of frontier AI models to publicly disclose safety frameworks and report specified critical safety incidents under legislation Newsom signed in 2025. The state has also enacted laws governing AI auditors, companion chatbots used by children, AI-generated content, privacy and the use of artificial intelligence by state government.