Paris Hilton and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, have sponsored a bipartisan measure to protect children in the entertainment industry.
CA AB 653: The Child Abuse Mandated Entertainment Reporter Act
California AB 653, also known as The Child Abuse Mandated Entertainment Reporter Act, is sponsored by Hilton’s nonprofit 11:11 Media Impact and joint-authored by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, D-Baldwin Park.
AB 653 would add talent agents, talent managers, and talent coaches to the list of professionals required to report suspected child abuse in the state of California.
“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,” Hilton said.
“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.”
Entertainment Industry Children Vulnerable to Abuse
Children in the entertainment industry face unique vulnerabilities, including working long hours with adults in positions of power. Former child stars often come forward with chilling stories of abuse and exploitation endured when they were young and unable to protect themselves.
While California has a long list of mandated reporters, professionals with a legal duty to recognize and report suspected child abuse and neglect, the unique situations of entertainment industry kids can create gaping holes where abuse could go unnoticed.
California educators are mandated reporters and have an annual training requirement to ensure they understand how to recognize and report abuse. However, children in the entertainment industry often leave traditional school settings. State laws require credentialed teachers to instruct kids working in the entertainment industry. The youngest children, under the age of six, are exempt from schooling requirements. Teens aged 16 and older who have graduated from high school also do not require instruction, leaving them out of the supervision and trained eyes of teachers who are mandated reporters.
By adding talent agents, talent managers, and talent coaches to the list of mandated reporters, AB 653 adds another layer of protection for entertainment industry children.
“Children in the entertainment industry should not be subjected to any form of abuse,” said Lackey. “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.”
“Protecting children in the entertainment industry is not just a moral duty —it must be a legal responsibility,” Rubio said. “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.”
Hilton and 11:11 Media Impact Leading the Way for Youth Protection
Paris 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 11:11 Media Impact.
Hilton is also a sponsor of California’s SB 373, to enhance protections for students placed in out-of-state facilities by imposing new accountability requirements to ensure that students receive proper educational support and resources. The bill also ensures private communication between students and their education teams while at the facility. “Every young person deserves access to safe, supportive care — especially when they’re far from their families and homes,” Hilton said about SB 373.
“As someone who survived abuse in these settings, I’m committed to transforming this system and creating a future where transparency, accountability, and compassion are the standard.”
