Imagine this: you’re finally settling in for a cozy streaming session, and suddenly a blaring commercial jolts you out of your relaxed state. Sound familiar? California lawmakers are stepping up to solve this all-too-common annoyance.

A new bill proposed by Democratic Senator Tom Umberg aims to regulate the volume of streaming service advertisements, potentially bringing peace to living rooms across the state. The inspiration? A personal story involving a legislative director’s infant daughter who was startled awake by an excessively loud commercial.

Currently, traditional television and cable broadcasters are already bound by the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which limits commercial volume. However, streaming platforms have existed in a regulatory gray area since the law’s inception in 2010.

Umberg’s Senate Bill 576 would require streaming services like Netflix and Hulu to comply with the same volume standards as traditional broadcasters. While the entertainment industry has pushed back, arguing that implementing such regulations could be technically challenging, the senator remains confident in tech companies’ abilities.

“If they can make ads louder, they can certainly make them less loud,” Umberg stated, highlighting the straightforward logic behind the proposed legislation.

The bill has already garnered significant bipartisan support, with every senator present voting in its favor during a recent floor session. Legal experts suggest that California has precedent for implementing consumer protection laws that could impact out-of-state content providers.

As the bill moves to the Assembly floor, it represents more than just a technical adjustment, it’s about restoring a sense of control and comfort in our digital entertainment experiences. For parents, cord-cutters, and anyone who’s been startled by sudden volume spikes, this proposed law could be a welcome relief.

While the outcome remains to be seen, one thing is clear: sometimes, the most impactful legislation comes from the most unexpected places, in this case, a sleeping baby’s interrupted nap.