“Congress Might Block States from Regulating AI. That’s a Bad Idea.” by Kristin O’Donoghue

Since May, Congress has been debating an unprecedented proposal: a 10-year moratorium that would eliminate virtually all state and local AI policies across the nation. This provision, tucked into the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” would prohibit states from enacting or enforcing “any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems” for the next decade.

It's not clear what version of the moratorium, if any, will become law. The House sent the One Big Beautiful Bill to the Senate's Commerce Committee, where the moratorium has been subject to an ongoing debate and numerous revisions. The latest public Senate text — which could be voted on as early as Friday — ties the prohibition to the “Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment” (BEAD) program, threatening to withhold billions of dollars in federal funds to expand broadband from states that choose to regulate AI.

The provision's language [...]

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Outline:

(02:09) The Moratorium's Leverage -- and Its Limits

(03:27) The Patchwork Problem

(05:02) How the Moratorium Undermines Federalism and Good Governance

(07:18) Terminating Existing Laws

(10:00) Broad Opposition

(12:06) What Should Be Done Instead

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First published:
June 26th, 2025

Source:
https://aifrontiersmedia.substack.com/p/congress-might-block-states-from

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

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