California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs seven bills tightening AI data center energy and water rules

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed seven bills to stop AI data centers from passing utility costs to residents, the Los Angeles Times reported. The California Public Utilities Commission must create a new data-center rate class, and operators must pay for local power grid and water upgrades. Proposed centers must disclose estimated water use, energy efficiency and drought planning, and meet consumption standards for streamlined approval. He also recently ordered faster development of an AI kill switch.