Trying to resolve a billing issue, cancel a subscription, or get help with an order can sometimes feel like a battle against automated phone menus and chatbots. But a new California law aims to make that process less frustrating by giving consumers a clearer path to human customer service.
Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 28, 2026, Assembly Bill 1609, also known as the Right to Human Customer Service Act, requires large businesses to make a good-faith effort to connect customers with a real person within 15 minutes of a request or arrange an appointment for assistance.
What does California’s new customer service law do?
Authored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, AB 1609 addresses growing frustration with automated customer service systems that can leave people struggling to resolve problems without speaking to a human representative.
Under the new law, covered businesses must provide customers with a straightforward way to request human assistance during regular business hours. When someone asks to speak with a representative, companies must make a good-faith effort to connect them within 15 minutes or offer an appointment for a later time.
The legislation also introduces several other consumer protections:
- Clear chatbot disclosures: Businesses cannot misrepresent a customer service chatbot as a human. If a chatbot could reasonably mislead customers into thinking they are speaking with a person, the business must clearly disclose that it is AI-powered.
- Better access to customer service: Covered businesses must provide an accessible way for customers to request a human representative through their customer service platforms.
- More transparency about contact information: Certain large businesses that offer online customer service and telephone support must prominently display their customer service phone numbers on their websites.
- Limits on excessive hold times: Businesses must make a good-faith effort to prevent customers from waiting more than 15 minutes at any point after being placed on hold following connection, with cumulative hold or waiting times limited to one hour per call.
The law does not ban AI chatbots or automated customer service. Instead, it aims to ensure customers can reach a human when automated systems aren’t enough.
When does the new law take effect?
California’s Right to Human Customer Service Act takes effect on January 1, 2027. That means covered businesses will have to comply with the new requirements beginning next year.
The law applies to qualifying large private businesses serving California consumers, with specific provisions and exceptions depending on the type of service. It also allows public prosecutors to enforce the law, with civil penalties of up to $5,000 for an initial violation and $10,000 for subsequent violations.
What does this mean for Californians?
For customers who have spent far too long navigating automated menus or repeating the same problem to a chatbot, the legislation could make getting help more straightforward.
Businesses can continue using AI to answer routine questions and handle basic requests. However, when customers need more personalized assistance, the new law establishes a clearer route to a human representative.
The goal is simple: technology should make getting help easier, not stand in the way of it.
