In a letter to both the House and Senate, the bipartisan group argued Monday that states need to retain the ability to act as AI continues to develop and raise new policy questions.
"A blanket prohibition on state and local AI and automated decision-system regulation would abruptly cut off active democratic debate in statehouses and impose a sweeping pause on policymaking at the very moment when communities are seeking responsive solutions," they wrote.
The state lawmakers also argued such a provision would nullify numerous AI-related measures at the state level, covering everything from consumer transparency to government procurement to patient protections.
"We appreciate congressional engagement on AI and stand ready to collaborate on thoughtful national policy," they added.
"But after years without comprehensive federal action on privacy and social media harms, a broad preemption of state and local AI laws until Congress acts would set back progress and undercut existing protections."
The letter comes amid a push by House GOP leadership to include a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would block state AI laws.
Republican lawmakers previously sought to include a 10-year moratorium on state AI measures in President Trump's tax and spending megabill but the provision was ultimately stripped out by a 99-1 vote in the Senate amid GOP infighting over the effort.
Following a report last week that House lawmakers were contemplating a preemption provision in the NDAA, several key Republicans, including Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, spoke out against the effort.
However, Trump offered support for the preemption push, and a draft executive order that emerged Wednesday showed the White House was considering taking efforts into its own hands.
The draft order would create a task force dedicated to challenging state AI laws in court, in addition to deeming states ineligible for broadband funding if they have enacted AI measures that the administration finds unduly onerous.
House Republican leaders have reportedly urged the White House to delay such an executive order as they attempt to include the preemption provision in the must-pass defense legislation.
No comments:
Post a Comment