So far, California lawmakers have churned out over 30 AI-related bills this year, each more muddled than the last. Senate Bills 243 and 420, for example, target a range of issues, from mental health chatbots to general-purpose AI. Layer in proposed bans on impersonation tools, new limits on how employers can use AI and rigid rules around biometric data, and the result is a regulatory morass that threatens to halt innovation in its tracks.