Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), and Paris Hilton have announced their bipartisan measure, AB 653, also known as The Child Abuse Mandated Entertainment Reporter Act (CAMERA), sponsored by Hilton’s nonprofit 11:11 Media Impact and joint-authored by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park).

This measure proposes greater protection for children in the entertainment industry by requiring talent agents, talent managers, and talent coaches to be mandated reporters of suspected child abuse.

“As someone who experienced abuse as a teen and has spent the last several years fighting to protect kids, I was honored when Assemblymember Lackey approached me with the idea for this bill,” said Paris Hilton. “Adults who work with children—especially in high-pressure industries—have a responsibility to recognize the signs of abuse and take action. AB 653 helps close a dangerous loophole and ensures more professionals are trained and accountable to protect the most vulnerable.”

Children in the entertainment industry face unique and serious vulnerabilities, including long hours, high-pressure environments, and close interactions with adults in positions of power. In recent years, a growing number of former child stars have come forward with painful stories of abuse and exploitation they endured on set. Across many of these accounts, one alarming truth persists—there was no one to turn to, and no system in place to catch or prevent the abuse. However, in all of these stories, the same alarming reality emerges—there was no one to report the abuse to, and no system in place to catch it.

“This ends now,” stated Assemblyman Lackey. “Children in the entertainment industry should not be subjected to any form of abuse. I am honored to work alongside Paris Hilton who has been a huge advocate for children’s protection measures, and to be able to create a new safeguard guard to protect our most vulnerable, innocent population.”

In 1980, California passed the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) which aimed to create a system for identifying and addressing child abuse by requiring certain professionals such as teachers and doctors who work with children to become mandated reporters. When sexual harassment and assault awareness in the entertainment industry was being highlighted during the #MeToo movement, AB 2338 (Levine, 2018) created a mandate for talent agencies to provide educational materials on sexual harassment prevention, retaliation, reporting resources, nutrition, and eating disorders. These efforts intended to protect minors, however, this did not include any reporting requirements.

“Protecting children in the entertainment industry is not just a moral duty—it must be a legal responsibility,” said Assemblymember Blanca Rubio. “Because of children’s vulnerabilities, we need to advocate for them. AB 653 holds talent agents, managers, and coaches accountable as mandated reporters, ensuring predators cannot operate in the shadows. We must act now to create a safer industry for children to thrive.”

CAMERA will take the necessary steps to further protect children in the entertainment industry by adding talent agents, talent managers, and talent coaches who work with children to the list of mandated reporters.

Hilton has become one of the nation’s leading advocates for youth protection, helping to pass 13 state laws and the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, signed into federal law in 2024, through her organization 11:11 Media Impact. This year she is also sponsoring California’s SB 373, aimed at improving safeguards for nonpublic school students. This measure is authored by Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) and principal co-authored by Assemblyman Lackey.

CAMERA passed out of the Assembly Public Safety Committee on April 22nd with a 9-0 vote and will be heading to the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.