Attorney General Weiser co-leads 40 bipartisan AGs urging Congress not to prohibit states from enforcing artificial intelligence regulations

May 16, 2025 (DENVER) – Attorney General Phil Weiser co-led 39 other state attorneys general in a bipartisan letter to Congress voicing opposition to a sweeping and dangerous U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee amendment to the budget reconciliation bill that imposes a 10-year prohibition on states from enforcing any state law or regulation addressing artificial intelligence and automated decision-making systems.

“In an ideal world, Congress would be driving the conversation forward on artificial intelligence, and their failure to lead on AI and other critical technology policy issues—like data privacy and oversight of social media—is forcing states to act,” said Attorney General Weiser. “Instead of Congress correcting the mistake of abandoning their leadership position on the incredibly important issue of AI, this irresponsible amendment prevents states from protecting consumers from the potential harms and unforeseen consequences of this constantly evolving technology. To enact a 10-year ban on state action just as we are beginning to grasp AI’s potential benefits and harms would be a huge mistake, and I’m pleased this strong bipartisan coalition of my fellow attorneys general are joining me in urging Congress to reject the amendment.”

AI has the potential to spur achievement and innovation, improve lives, and help humanity tackle some of our biggest challenges. However, the rise of such technology presents real, immediate dangers ranging from explicit material and election interference to deception, exploitation, and harassment against consumers. In the absence of federal leadership, state legislatures and attorneys general are at the forefront of ensuring AI is not abused and that consumers are protected.

If enacted, the amendment would strip away essential state protections without replacing them with a viable federal regulatory framework and 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 and Americans completely exposed to its known harms and evolving, real-world risks.

The bipartisan coalition of attorneys general respectfully urges Congress to reject the AI moratorium added to the budget reconciliation bill.

Joining Attorney General Weiser in leading the letter are the attorneys general of Tennessee, New Hampshire, and Vermont. They are joined by the attorneys general of American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.

Read the letter to Congress signed by 40 bipartisan attorneys general (PDF).

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