Paul Kim

The Stop Subscription Traps Act

In the United States, it will be illegal for companies to charge monthly subscription fees to unlock physical hardware features, like heated car seats, that are already built into a product you bought. Any business offering a recurring digital subscription must provide a simple, one-click cancellation button that is immediately visible on the user's main account page. Software companies will be legally required to offer a permanent, one-time purchase option for their programs alongside their monthly rental models. To put an end to planned obsolescence, technology manufacturers must make original repair parts, tools, and service manuals available to the general public at fair market prices. All free trials will automatically cancel at the end of their promotional period instead of silently charging your credit card, unless you actively choose to stay subscribed. Companies will be strictly banned from raising the price of an active, ongoing subscription without getting clear, manual approval from the user first. Consumers will also be granted the legal right to pass down purchased digital libraries, like downloaded movies and video games, to their families when they pass away. Finally, any corporation caught using manipulative website designs, known as dark patterns, to trick users into accidental purchases will face a mandatory fine equal to 5% of their total annual revenue.

March 05, 2026

Proposal: 4-Day Workweek and Fair Pay Plan

In the United States, the standard full-time workweek will be legally lowered from 40 hours down to 32 hours for all businesses and government jobs. Employers must make this change without cutting anyone's current salary, paid time off, or health benefits. To help keep companies productive, workplaces will be banned from making employees attend more than four hours of meetings per week. Instead of everyone taking Friday off, customer service businesses will rotate employee schedules so their doors can stay open all week. Workers will have a legal right to completely ignore work emails, texts, and calls on their days off without getting in trouble. To help small businesses adjust to this change, the government will give a special tax break to any company with fewer than 50 employees. Freelancers and gig workers will get a legally required 20% bump in their base pay so they don't fall behind regular full-time employees. Finally, the government will run a full review of this program after two years to make sure the economy is still healthy before making these rules permanent.

March 05, 2026

The Urban Canopy and Pedestrian Prioritization Project

Proposal: To improve public health and commercial foot traffic, the city of San Francisco will convert 20% of existing downtown street parking into expanded pedestrian walkways and dedicated bicycle lanes. A mandatory commercial zoning ordinance will require all new corporate office buildings to dedicate their rooftops to publicly accessible community gardens or solar arrays. To fund these local green initiatives, a 2% convenience surcharge will be levied on all deliveries originating from out-of-state e-commerce fulfillment centers. The city will also establish a publicly funded "tool library" in every municipal district to reduce household waste and encourage community sharing of expensive hardware. Furthermore, high-density residential developments will be required to allocate at least 15% of their ground-floor space to locally owned, small-scale retail rather than national chains. To improve weekend quality of life, a strict noise pollution mandate will prohibit the use of gas-powered landscaping equipment within city limits on Saturdays and Sundays. To revitalize the local culture scene, the city will actively use eminent domain to repurpose abandoned commercial properties into subsidized live-work studios for qualifying local creators. Finally, to ensure equitable access to these new downtown amenities, public transportation fares will be entirely eliminated for all residents under the age of 18 and over the age of 65.

March 05, 2026

AI Non-Sentience and Responsibility Act

This bill establishes the "A.I. Non-Sentience and Responsibility Act" in Missouri, which comprehensively defines artificial intelligence (AI) and sets clear legal boundaries for AI systems' status and accountability. The legislation explicitly declares that AI systems are not sentient beings and cannot be granted legal personhood, marriage rights, or the ability to own property or serve in corporate leadership roles. The bill places full legal responsibility for AI actions on human owners, developers, and manufacturers, requiring them to maintain proper oversight and implement safety mechanisms. If an AI system causes harm, liability will rest with human actors, with potential for expanded accountability that can pierce corporate veils in cases of intentional evasion of responsibility. The law mandates that developers and owners prioritize safety, conduct risk assessments, and cannot use labels like "ethically trained" to avoid liability. The bill also requires prompt reporting of severe AI-related incidents and will apply to all AI systems developed or operated in Missouri from August 28, 2025, forward. Key definitions include broad interpretations of AI, developers, manufacturers, and owners, ensuring a comprehensive approach to regulating emerging artificial intelligence technologies.

March 04, 2026