On September 10, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) released what he called a “light-touch” regulatory framework for federal AI legislation, outlining five pillars for advancing American AI leadership. In parallel, Senator Cruz introduced the Strengthening AI Normalization and Diffusion by Oversight and eXperimentation (“SANDBOX”) Act (S. 2750), which
Continue Reading Senator Cruz Unveils AI Framework and Regulatory Sandbox BillTechnology
California Lawmakers Advance Suite of AI Bills
As the California Legislature’s 2025 session draws to a close, lawmakers have advanced over a dozen AI bills to the final stages of the legislative process, setting the stage for a potential showdown with Governor Gavin Newsom (D). The AI bills, some of which have already passed both chambers, reflect recent trends in state AI…
Continue Reading California Lawmakers Advance Suite of AI BillsTrump Administration Issues AI Action Plan and Series of AI Executive Orders
On July 23, the White House released its AI Action Plan, outlining the key priorities of the Trump Administration’s AI policy agenda. In parallel, President Trump signed three AI executive orders directing the Executive Branch to implement the AI Action Plan’s policies on “Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government,” “Accelerating Federal Permitting of…
Continue Reading Trump Administration Issues AI Action Plan and Series of AI Executive OrdersThe European Commission announces a proposal for the first EU Space Act
By Paul Maynard & Seán Finan on
On 25 June 2025, the European Commission (“EC”) announced its long-awaited proposal for a Regulation on the safety, resilience, and sustainability of space activities in the EU (the “Draft EU Space Act” or “Draft EUSA”). The Draft EUSA proposes to impose obligations on providers of “space services,” which are:
- The operation and control of human-made objects sent to space;
- The provision of space launch services;
- Services provided by “primary providers of space-based data,” a term covering providers that carry out the first processing of either communications data or observation data received from outer space (which may include electronic communications service providers);
- In-space services and operations; and
- Collision-avoidance services.
Most of the obligations in the Draft EUSA would apply to providers of space services that are located in the EU, and those located outside the EU but that provide services to space operators in the EU. However, the rules on safety described below would apply to space objects that generate data or enable the provision of space services in the EU. These rules, and certain rules on collision avoidance, would also apply to space objects that at or lower than a geostationary orbit.
The explanatory memorandum notes that 13 EU Member States have passed national legislation related to space, which creates the risk of a fragmented internal market for the space sector. The Draft EUSA therefore establishes rules in four main areas in an attempt to harmonize the law relating to this sector, namely authorization and registration requirements, and obligations to ensure safety, resilience, and sustainability of space services. We describe these in more detail below.Continue Reading The European Commission announces a proposal for the first EU Space Act
Texas Enacts AI Consumer Protection Law
On June 22, Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed the Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (“TRAIGA”) (HB 149) into law. The law, which takes effect on January 1, 2026, makes Texas the second state to enact comprehensive AI consumer protection legislation, following the 2024 enactment of the Colorado AI Act. Unlike the…
Continue Reading Texas Enacts AI Consumer Protection LawCalifornia Frontier AI Working Group Issues Final Report on Frontier Model Regulation
On June 17, the Joint California Policy Working Group on AI Frontier Models (“Working Group”) issued its final report on frontier AI policy, following public feedback on the draft version of the report released in March. The report describes “frontier models” as the “most capable” subset of foundation models, or a class of general-purpose technologies…
Continue Reading California Frontier AI Working Group Issues Final Report on Frontier Model RegulationNew York Legislature Passes Sweeping AI Safety Legislation
On June 12, the New York legislature passed the Responsible AI Safety & Education (“RAISE”) Act (S 6953), a frontier model public safety bill that would establish safeguard, reporting, disclosure, and other requirements for large developers of frontier AI models. If signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul (D), the RAISE Act would…
Continue Reading New York Legislature Passes Sweeping AI Safety LegislationSenate Parliamentarian Clears Revised State AI Enforcement Moratorium for Reconciliation Bill, But Passage Remains in Doubt
By Holly Fechner, Matthew Shapanka & Samuel Klein on
In a surprise move, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that a proposed moratorium on state and local AI laws satisfies the Byrd Rule, the requirement that reconciliation bills contain only budgetary provisions and omit “extraneous” policy language. While MacDonough’s determination allows the Senate Commerce Committee’s version of the moratorium to remain in the bill, its…
Continue Reading Senate Parliamentarian Clears Revised State AI Enforcement Moratorium for Reconciliation Bill, But Passage Remains in DoubtHouse Republicans Push for 10-Year Moratorium on State AI Laws
By Holly Fechner, Matthew Shapanka & August Gweon on
House Republicans have passed through committee a nationwide, 10-year moratorium on the enforcement of state and local laws and regulations that impose requirements on AI and automated decision systems. The moratorium, which would not apply to laws that promote AI adoption, highlights the widening gap between a wave of new state AI laws and the…
Continue Reading House Republicans Push for 10-Year Moratorium on State AI LawsU.S. Tech Legislative & Regulatory Update – First Quarter 2025
This quarterly update highlights key legislative, regulatory, and litigation developments in the first quarter of 2025 related to artificial intelligence (“AI”), connected and automated vehicles (“CAVs”), and cryptocurrencies and blockchain.
I. Artificial Intelligence
A. Federal Legislative Developments
In the first quarter, members of Congress introduced several AI bills addressing national security, including bills that would encourage the use of AI for border security and drug enforcement purposes. Other AI legislative proposes focused on workforce skills, international investment in critical industries, U.S. AI supply chain resilience, and AI-enabled fraud. Notably, members of Congress from both parties advanced legislation to regulate AI deepfakes and codify the National AI Research Resource, as discussed below.
- Deepfake Regulation: In February, the Senate passed the Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks (“TAKE IT DOWN”) Act (S. 146), following its unanimous passage by the Senate in 2024. The Act would prohibit the nonconsensual disclosure of AI-generated intimate imagery and require platforms to remove such content published on the platform. The House version of the TAKE IT DOWN Act (H.R. 633) has been referred to the House Energy & Commerce Committee.
- CREATE AI Act: In March, Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Don Beyer (D-VA) re-introduced the Creating Resources for Every American To Experiment with Artificial Intelligence (“CREATE AI”) Act (H.R. 2385), following its introduction and near passage in the Senate last year. The CREATE AI Act would codify the National AI Research Resource (“NAIRR”), with the goal of advancing AI development and innovation by offering AI computational resources, common datasets and repositories, educational tools and services, and AI testbeds to individuals, private entities, and federal agencies. The CREATE AI Act builds on the work of the NAIRR Task Force, established by the National AI Initiative Act of 2020, which issued a final report in January 2023 recommending the establishment of NAIRR.
Continue Reading U.S. Tech Legislative & Regulatory Update – First Quarter 2025