legislation

Lawmakers have proposed a new version of the Health and Location Data Protection Act that would ban the sale of Americans' health and location data, including data shared with AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude, with stronger enforcement measures.

The KIDS Act package includes age verification requirements that would push online platforms to verify all users' ages, endangering privacy and free expression. Critics argue the bill's vague 'should have known' standard will force companies to adopt invasive age-checking measures.

The article discusses Texas' App Store Accountability Act, which likely imposes content moderation or accountability requirements on app stores, analogized to a bouncer at a bookstore.

California's AB 2047 bill would mandate 3D printer surveillance software, threatening privacy and open source; the EFF calls for action as it moves to the state senate.

A US lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require AI companies to report critical incidents to regulators.

US Rep. Anna Paulina Luna denies staff used AI to draft bill text after a screenshot showed a Claude reference in an amendment summary, though she admits AI was used for spellcheck.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna used AI to draft an amendment to the defense bill, marking a notable instance of AI being applied in legislative processes.

The Chip Security Act, which would mandate location-tracking mechanisms for advanced AI chips to prevent diversion to China, has gained support from six companies specializing in tracking sensitive shipments, while opponents argue it could hamper U.S. chip sales.

California AB 2047 would require 3D printers sold in the state to include a government-certified detection algorithm, effectively banning them from schools, libraries, and small businesses. The 3D printing industry strongly opposes the bill, arguing the required technology is impossible and would violate the First Amendment.

A bill summary describes the JAWBONE Act, introduced by Senators Ted Cruz and Ron Wyden, which would allow plaintiffs to sue government officials for coercing social media, AI, or broadcasting companies into censoring content, even if the coercion was unsuccessful, and establish a portal for transparency.

The article criticizes H.R. 6028, arguing it would make the U.S. Copyright Office more political and less balanced by removing Library of Congress oversight and making the Register a presidential appointee.

Massachusetts lawmakers passed the Consumer Data Privacy Act, banning the sale of precise location data and granting residents new rights over accessing and deleting their data.

The California State Assembly passed the 'Protect Our Games Act' (AB 1921), requiring digital game publishers to maintain game playability after service termination, advancing the 'Stop Killing Games' movement.

Illinois lawmakers passed SB 315, the strongest AI safety bill in the US, requiring frontier AI labs like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google to have third-party audits of their safety practices. Governor JB Pritzker has said he will sign it, making Illinois a leader in AI regulation.

California lawmakers propose exempting most open-source operating systems from the state's age-verification law after backlash from Linux developers and privacy advocates.

GitHub's blog post explains how age assurance laws aimed at protecting minors online could inadvertently burden open source developers and infrastructure, and urges policymakers to scope such laws appropriately.

Colorado amended its age verification bill SB051 to exclude open source projects, providing relief for the open source community.

The US BUILD America 250 bill proposes a new annual tax on electric vehicles ($130 for BEVs, $35 for PHEVs) while some lawmakers push to cut the gas tax to zero. Critics argue the tax unfairly targets the small percentage of EVs that cause minimal road damage.

Senator Adam Schiff proposes the Energy Cost Fairness and Reliability Act requiring data centers over 50 megawatts to secure their own power, aiming to reduce energy costs for consumers amid rising AI data center electricity demands.

Utah lawmakers, led by Republican Governor Spencer Cox, are fighting to ban prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket, labeling them as gambling. This puts them at odds with the Trump administration's classification of such platforms as financial exchanges.