The California Department of Justice is asking for the spending authority to meet the mandates created by the passage of the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act, also known as Senate Bill 53.
The legislation, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September 2025, outlined new requirements for regulatory oversight and disclosure and reporting around the development of “frontier artificial intelligence models,” or advanced general-purpose AI systems.
The mandates created by SB 53 include, among other things, accepting whistleblower reports and creating annual reports by the Attorney General’s Office for the Legislature. This work would be done by the Public Rights Division’s Consumer Protection Section (CPS), which the budget change proposal (BCP) notes already handles technology-related enforcement.
In its request, the department outlined the need for $2.2 million in the 2026-27 budget cycle and $2.1 million in ongoing funding to support this work and the addition of eight positions, which include at least one IT specialist.
In addition, the department noted that the highly technical nature of its oversight and enforcement work will require consulting services, which are estimated at around $250,000.
“To successfully pursue these actions, CPS will require support from consulting and testifying expert witnesses with deep technical expertise as well as related support services from outside consultants,” the document reads.
While the document stops short of outlining the types of IT services the department will need, it does offer some indication of a broad timeline — one prodded along by a statutory deadline.
Similarly, the legislation offers little insight into how the transfer of data or reporting aspects of the bill would be handled. Reading between the lines, it would be reasonable to assume that some sort of shared portal, enforcement database or compliance monitoring system might be needed as funding sources solidify.
“Upon approval of this request, DOJ will immediately begin the hiring process and procurement process to secure the resources needed to fulfill the requirements of SB 53,” the BCP notes.
DOJ Anticipates Consulting Opportunity, Developing IT Needs
What to Know:- The California Department of Justice is looking for $4.3 million in one-time and ongoing funding to support new legislative mandates.
- Senate Bill 53 created new oversight and enforcement responsibilities, though it didn't outline specific technologies.
- The department estimates consulting service costs of around $250,000 this year and ongoing. Procurement and hiring will commence upon funding approval.
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