California Senator Scott Wiener won a special election to succeed Nancy Pelosi in the U.S. House of Representatives. The election took place on 3 November, and his opponent conceded the race on 4 November. Wiener is a prominent figure in California politics and a long-time member of the state legislature.
Wiener authored California’s SB 53, which was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom 2025. This legislation requires the largest artificial intelligence companies to draft and follow their own safety policies. Wiener also led the successful effort to pass AI safety legislation in California’s state legislature.
Wiener will be one of the few U.S. lawmakers with direct experience authoring AI legislation. His background in state-level policy gives him a unique perspective on the challenges of regulating powerful technology. This experience will likely influence his approach to federal AI policy discussions.
