<
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/05/gop-sneaks-decade-long-ai-regulation-ban-into-spending-bill/>
'On Sunday night, House Republicans added language to the Budget Reconciliation
bill that would block all state and local governments from regulating AI for 10
years,
404 Media reports. The provision, introduced by Representative Brett
Guthrie of Kentucky, states that "no State or political subdivision thereof may
enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models,
artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10
year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act."
The broad wording of the proposal would prevent states from enforcing both
existing and proposed laws designed to protect citizens from AI systems. For
example, California's recent law requiring health care providers to disclose
when they use generative AI to communicate with patients would potentially
become unenforceable. New York's 2021 law mandating bias audits for AI tools
used in hiring decisions would also be affected,
404 Media notes. The measure
would also halt legislation set to take effect in 2026 in California that
requires AI developers to publicly document the data used to train their
models.
The ban could also restrict how states allocate federal funding for AI
programs. States currently control how they use federal dollars and can direct
funding toward AI initiatives that may conflict with the administration's
technology priorities. The Education Department's AI programs represent one
example where states might pursue different approaches than those favored by
the White House and its tech industry allies.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, chaired by Guthrie, scheduled
consideration of the text during the budget reconciliation markup on May 13.
The language defines AI systems broadly enough to encompass both newer
generative AI tools and older automated decision-making technologies.
The reconciliation bill primarily focuses on cuts to Medicaid access and
increased health care fees for millions of Americans. The AI provision appears
as an addition to these broader health care changes, potentially limiting
debate on the technology's policy implications.
The move is already inspiring backlash. On Monday, tech safety groups and at
least one Democrat criticized the proposal, reports The Hill. Rep. Jan
Schakowsky (D-Ill.), the ranking member on the Commerce, Manufacturing and
Trade Subcommittee, called the proposal a "giant gift to Big Tech," while
nonprofit groups like the Tech Oversight Project and Consumer Reports warned it
would leave consumers unprotected from AI harms like deepfakes and bias.'
Via David.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
