Common Sense Media, Encode AI, Fairplay, Young People’s Alliance Lead a Coalition of Advocates to Call on Lawmakers to Reject the 10-Year Moratorium on the Enforcement of State AI Laws

SAN FRANCISCO, May 21, 2025 — Common Sense Media, along with Encode Justice, Fairplay, and the Young People's Alliance, led a coalition of 77 advocacy organizations in calling on congressional leadership to reject a House Republican budget bill's proposal to ban the enforcement of state-level AI legislation for the next decade.

"We write to urge you to oppose the provision in the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Budget Reconciliation text that would put a moratorium on the enforcement of state artificial intelligence (AI) legislation for the next ten years," wrote the coalition. "By wiping out all existing and future state AI laws without putting new federal protections in place, AI companies would get exactly what they want: no rules, no accountability, and total control. As organizations working on the frontline of the consequences of AI development with no guardrails, we know what this would mean for our children."

"As written, the provision is so broad it would block states from enacting any AI-related legislation, including bills addressing hyper-sexualized AI companions, social media recommendation algorithms, protections for whistleblowers, and more," the coalition continued. "It ties lawmakers' hands for a decade, sidelining policymakers and leaving families on their own as they face risks and harms that emerge with this fast-evolving technology in the years to come."

"This provision is policy and not budget-related and should not be allowed in this bill. More than that, it's irresponsible and indefensible," said Common Sense Media Founder and CEO James P. Steyer. "Congress has passed only one AI safety law and has yet to address the technology's privacy implications, the dangers of AI companions, or even require foundational guardrails to ensure the safe and effective development of this rapidly evolving technology. Instead of repeating the same mistake we did with social media — where we allowed companies to use our kids as guinea pigs for years — Congress must work together to design effective rules of the road that ensure innovation without jeopardizing children's safety and well-being."

"For over a decade, victims and the public have relied on state governments for what little protection they have against fast-moving technologies like social media—and now AI," said Adam Billen, Vice President of Public Policy at Encode AI. "Big Tech knows it can stall legislation in Congress, so now it wants to strip states of the power to enforce current and future laws that safeguard the public from AI-driven harms.

"It is outrageous for Congress to both abdicate its responsibility for imposing safeguards on an exploding industry and to prevent states from doing so, too," said Haley Hinkle, Policy Counsel at Fairplay. "Children and their families are facing risks from artificial intelligence right now, and we cannot wait a decade to take action to protect kids and teens."

"We desperately need guidelines to encourage AI development that centers user agency. ," said Sam Hiner, Executive Director of the Young People's Alliance. "By banning state and local AI regulation, we're giving Big Tech all the leverage to stop federal legislation and the US will fall behind in building AI that truly helps users."

The full letter is available here.

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