Newsom Vetoes Bill Protecting Nurses Who Override AI, Signs Clinical Judgment Law

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 2575 on Sept. 30. The bill would have barred employers from punishing nurses and other direct-care workers just for following or overriding an AI tool. The same day, he signed AB 1979, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027 and requires hospitals, clinics and physician offices to take reasonable steps so licensed clinicians can still use their own judgment when AI informs patient care. The California Nurses Association backed both bills. In a 2024 National Nurses United survey of more than 2,300 RNs, 69% of those working with acuity algorithms said the output didn’t match their own assessments of their patients. Backers say they plan to bring the vetoed bill back next year.