by Rebecca Domm, Legal Researcher at Regology
Legislative Trends
Since the beginning of 2024, we have been reporting on the legislative activity concerning artificial intelligence (AI) at both state and federal levels. In this update, we present our report for the months of January through April of 2024, in which we have identified a total of 390 AI-related bills.
A detailed breakdown as of April 30, 2024, shows that 311 of these 390 bills have not progressed beyond their original legislative chamber, while 36 have successfully advanced. Furthermore, 12 bills have passed through both legislative chambers, 5 are currently awaiting gubernatorial approval, and 26 have been enacted into law. The accompanying graphic illustrates the distribution of these bills, categorized by the month of their introduction.
Legislative trends in April underscore a comprehensive approach to AI regulation nationwide, with notable developments at both federal and state levels. Federally, efforts are concentrated on tackling copyright issues within AI frameworks and combatting AI-related crimes, particularly those associated with child exploitation. States like Alaska and New York are actively implementing strategies such as forming task forces and appointing chief AI officers to oversee AI technology's use.
Colorado is enforcing consumer protection laws to guarantee transparency and effective risk management in AI system development and deployment. Louisiana's healthcare regulations emphasize human oversight and ethical standards in AI-driven patient care. Moreover, legislative responses in Rhode Island and New Jersey are addressing concerns like unauthorized dissemination of indecent material and AI bias in employment practices.
Key state laws enacted encompass regulations pertaining to AI-powered political ads, such as Florida's requirement for disclaimers in generative AI content. West Virginia has established an AI task force to delineate the technology, propose oversight measures and best practices, suggest data protection laws, and evaluate its impact on employment. Virginia has initiated a study on AI utilization within public entities, specifically targeting discrimination prevention and advocating for the formation of an AI Commission.
These legislative actions collectively reflect an evolving legal environment that aims to balance innovation with accountability, prioritizing ethical considerations in AI technology utilization.
This report highlights several bills across the various categories of legislation addressing AI.
Highlights of Enacted State Laws
AI in Political Ads: Florida HB 919 Signed into Law- Regulates the use of generative AI in political ads, requiring a prominent disclaimer.
AI Task Force: West Virginia HB 5690 Signed into Law- Forms the "West Virginia Task Force on Artificial Intelligence" to define AI, suggest oversight, create best practices, propose data protection laws, and analyze AI's job impact.
AI Study: Virginia SB 487 Signed into Law- Directs the Joint Commission on Technology and Science in Virginia to study AI use by public bodies, focusing on preventing discrimination and recommending an AI Commission.
Copyright
The Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act: Federal 118 H.R. 7913 (04/09/24) Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary- Requires notifying the Register of Copyrights about copyrighted works used in generative AI systems.
Explicit material
Child Exploitation and Artificial Intelligence Expert Commission Act of 2024: Federal HR 8005 (04/15/24) Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary- Establishes a commission to study and recommend solutions for combating child exploitation crimes involving artificial intelligence, with specific provisions for membership, reporting, and powers.
Digital Privacy Law: Rhode Island HB 8129 (04/24/24) House Committee-Updates laws to include digitally altered images without consent as unauthorized dissemination of indecent material, expanding jurisdiction and setting penalties.
New Agencies and Committees
AI Task Force: Alaska SB 262 (04/24/24) Referred to Finance- Creates a State AI Task Force to study and regulate AI's use, with annual reports until 2027.
Chief AI Officer: New York S09104 (04/26/24) Introduced-Updates New York's state technology law to include a chief AI officer role appointed by the governor.
Consumer Protection
AI Discrimination: Colorado SB 24-205 (04/10/24) Introduced- Protects consumers from AI discrimination, requiring developers to disclose system details and risks, and deployers to have risk management policies and notify consumers of AI decisions.
Employment Law
AI in the Hiring Process: New Jersey S3015 (04/08/24) Requires employers to inform applicants about AI use in video interviews, get consent, and report demographic data to check for bias
Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Louisiana HB 916 (04/03/24) Referred to the Committee of Health and Welfare- Sets rules for AI use in healthcare, ensuring human oversight in patient care decisions and requiring licensing boards to establish implementation standards.