State Lawmakers Planning AI Measures; SCOTUS to Weigh FL, TX Social Media Anti-Censorship Laws & More

State Lawmakers Planning More AI Bills

State lawmakers who gathered last week for a panel discussion on artificial intelligence hosted by Pluribus News said they’re planning to introduce more AI bills in their next legislative sessions.

Texas Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R), who sponsored a bill (HB 2060) enacted this year creating a state AI advisory council, said he’ll probably introduce an AI package in 2025, when his state meets for its next regular session. He said he had “zero faith” Congress would do anything on AI before then.

Connecticut Sen. James Maroney (D), who spearheaded the passage this year of a measure (SB 1103) creating an AI task force and setting limits on the use of AI by state government, said he’s working on legislation for next year that would set “broad guardrails” for AI transparency and accountability. And he indicated AI legislation would continue beyond next year.

“This isn’t going to be a one and done type of legislation,” he said.

The leader of a bipartisan, multistate virtual working group on AI, Maroney also said state lawmakers had learned from their experience with data privacy that they “need to get started earlier.”

As Capriglione put it: “We waited on the privacy stuff...and in the process of waiting, hundreds of thousands of data points on every single citizen was collected.”

Virginia Del. Michell Maldonado (D) said next year Virginia lawmakers could update the state’s comprehensive data privacy law passed in 2021, as well as another law passed last year addressing the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement. She also said she wanted to prioritize regulation of high-risk areas like healthcare and criminal justice.

Meanwhile, Colorado’s newly-elected Senate majority leader, Sen. Robert Rodriguez (D), who led the passage of the Colorado Privacy Act in 2021, said he’s particularly concerned about the use of AI in the workplace, but getting tech regulation passed isn’t easy.

“I think throwing too many things at the kitchen sink is probably not the best idea,” he said. “To try to do it all at once would be a humongous lift.” (PLURIBUS NEWS, STATE NET)

SCOTUS to Consider Constitutionality of FL, TX Social Media Anti-Censorship Laws

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear challenges to laws passed in Florida and Texas in 2021 prohibiting social media platforms from banning users over potentially harmful content. Tech companies argue the laws violate their First Amendment rights. (CNBC)

Judge Dismisses Challenge to LA Porn Website Age Verification Law

A federal judge threw out a challenge to a Louisiana law requiring websites offering sexually explicit content to verify the ages of users. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan ruled that the government officials named in the lawsuit can’t be sued because they aren’t required to enforce the law. An appeal is likely. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

—Compiled by SNCJ Managing Editor KOREY CLARK

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