[NFBC-Info] Congratulations on the Veto of SB 1130

[president at nfbcal.org]

Dear Federation Friends,

 

I'm pleased to share a small victory in our state legislative work.  We
succeeded in stopping a well-intended and overly restrictive law that would
have impacted our use of wearable devices like AI-powered smart glasses and
services like Aira and Be My Eyes.  We commend the Office of the Governor
for vetoing S.B. 1130.  This is our collective action at work.  The content
of our letter is pasted below:

Tim Elder, President 

National Federation of the Blind of California 

president@ nfbcal. org 

4226 Castanos Street Fremont, CA 94536 ( 916) 382- 0372 

September 23, 2026 

The Honorable Gavin Newsom Governor of California 1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814 

Re: Request for Veto of Senate Bill 1130 ( Reyes) - Wearable Recording
Devices 

Dear Governor Newsom: 

The National Federation of the Blind of California (" NFBC") is the
statewide affiliate of the nation's transformative membership and advocacy
organization

of blind people. I write on behalf of NFBC to respectfully ask that you veto
Senate Bill 1130 ( Reyes) with the intention for the author to explicitly

include an exception for glasses used for visual interpretation by blind and
low- vision Californians. To be clear, we share the bill's underlying goal

of protecting Californians from being secretly recorded by wearable devices,
and we do not oppose that aim. A veto now will give the author the
opportunity

to amend the bill so that it accomplishes its purpose without penalizing
disability access. 

We also appreciate the disability- related exemptions the bill already has
in subdivisions 

( e) 

and ( g), and we do not take that protection lightly. We would propose some
clarifying edits to subsection ( e) in order to fully protect blind and low

vision Californians. These edits ( underlined) would read: 

"( e) This section does not apply to the use of hearing aids, wearables used
for visual interpretation, augmentative and alternative communication
devices,

and similar devices by a person with impaired hearing, impaired vision, or
any communication disorder when the hearing aid or device is used for the
purpose

of overcoming the impairment or disorder to permit the hearing of sounds
ordinarily audible to the human ear or to support interpretation of visual
surroundings,

or communication with the person." 

For these reasons, we respectfully urge you to veto SB 1130 and to invite
the author to return with amended protections afforded under subsection ( e)

along the lines described above. We would welcome the opportunity to work
with your office and with Senator Reyes to get this language right. Thank
you

for your consideration and for your 

continued commitment to the independence and equal participation of blind
Californians. 

Sincerely, 

 

Tim Elder President National Federation of the Blind of California 

 

 

Tim Elder

President

National Federation of the Blind of California 

 <mailto:president at nfbcal.org> president at nfbcal.org 

(916) 382-0372 

 <http://www.nfbcal.org/> http://www.nfbcal.org/

 

Did you know that blind Californians are holding monthly meetings in your
region over Zoom and telephone?  Check out our virtual local chapter and
division meetings.  All are welcome to attend.

 <http://www.nfbcal.org/chapters-and-divisions/>
http://www.nfbcal.org/chapters-and-divisions/