House Republicans Push for 10-Year Moratorium on State AI Laws
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce has voted to advance a bill that includes a 10-year moratorium on state regulations regarding artificial intelligence. This move is part of the federal budget reconciliation bill introduced by House Republicans.
The proposed legislation states that “no state or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this act.” This means that state-implemented AI measures, such as California’s law set to take effect in 2026, which requires generative AI developers to document the data used to train their models online, would become unenforceable.
Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., Ranking Member of the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, criticized the moratorium, calling it “a giant gift to Big Tech.” She argued that it would allow AI companies to disregard consumer privacy protections, enable the spread of deepfakes, and permit companies to profile and deceive consumers using AI.
Republican lawmakers defended the moratorium, citing the complexity of developing federal rules amidst diverse state regulations. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, drew parallels between the proposed moratorium and the “Internet tax moratorium” enacted in the late ’90s, suggesting that a similar approach could foster the growth of AI technology.
The bill still needs to pass through the Senate, where the proposed moratorium could be removed if deemed extraneous to the budget resolution.
