White House puts red state AI laws under scrutiny

"The White House has made it clear - states should back off on AI laws in almost all cases until a federal framework passes. Next week, the administration is expected to announce which state-level AI laws it has identified as 'onerous' that should be referred to the AI Litigation Task Force at the Justice Department, per President Trump's executive order."

"We firmly believe state-led efforts are fully consistent with conservative principles and with your stated goals of promoting human flourishing while accelerating innovation. This statement from 50 Republican state lawmakers expresses opposition to White House pressure on states to abandon AI legislation aimed at mitigating risks at leading AI labs and safeguarding constituents from AI's worst harms."

"The bill is unfortunately dead. The mid-session attack memo from the White House created enough confusion and conflicting opinions to doom it. Melissa McKay, policy director for Utah-based advocacy group Child First Policy Center, described how White House intervention completely derailed an AI safety bill in Utah."

The Trump administration is actively discouraging state-level AI regulation, directing states to defer to federal frameworks. The White House plans to announce which state AI laws it deems 'onerous' for referral to the Justice Department's AI Litigation Task Force. This federal pressure has already derailed AI safety legislation in multiple states. In Utah, White House intervention killed an AI safety bill, prompting advocacy groups to launch billboards against White House AI czar David Sacks. Florida's AI Bill of Rights passed the state Senate but faces House obstruction due to White House alignment with the Speaker. Republican state lawmakers have publicly opposed this federal pressure, arguing state-led AI efforts align with conservative principles and innovation goals.

Read at Axios