Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general in sending a letter to Congress expressing opposition to a sweeping and dangerous U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee amendment to the budget reconciliation bill. The amendment imposes a 10-year prohibition on states from enforcing any state law or regulation addressing artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems.
“As the highest legal officers in our respective states, we are already aware that AI is being used for nefarious purposes, including the creation of child sexual abuse material and attempted election interference,” Raoul said. “I urge Congress to reject this amendment because states need the flexibility to respond to these new and emerging threats posed by the rapid advancements in AI technology.”
According to the letter Raoul and the coalition issued, the rise of AI presents real, immediate dangers, ranging from the creation of explicit material and election interference to deception, exploitation and harassment against consumers. In the absence of federal leadership, state legislatures and attorneys general have continued to be at the forefront of ensuring AI is not abused and that consumers are protected.
In their letter, Raoul and the coalition emphasize that state laws and regulations “have been developed over the years through careful consideration and extensive stakeholder input from consumers, industry experts and advocates. And, in the years ahead, additional matters – many unforeseeable today given the rapidly evolving nature of this technology – are likely to arise.”
Raoul and the bipartisan coalition urge Congress to reject the AI moratorium added to the budget reconciliation bill. The letter points out that if enacted, the amendment would strip away essential state protections without replacing them with a viable federal regulatory framework. In addition, the moratorium will silence state leaders who are best positioned to respond. Any effort to prohibit states from enacting and enforcing laws aimed at regulating AI and protecting consumers will leave AI entirely unregulated at any level. Americans will be completely exposed to its known harms and evolving, real-world risks, ultimately leading to dangerous consequences for the American people.
Joining Attorney General Raoul in sending the letter to Congress are the attorneys general of American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
