Missouri AI regulations founder in House committee despite White House go-ahead
A Missouri House committee rejected Republican state Sen. Joe Nicola’s AI safeguard bill on Tuesday, despite revisions requested by the White House, citing enforcement gaps and drafting errors. Critics warned the legislation could conflict with federal broadband funding rules and leave liability for AI harm unclear, while lobbyists argued it lacked strong accountability measures for developers.
Missouri’s House committee voted 11-0 on Tuesday to kill legislation aimed at regulating artificial intelligence, despite earlier revisions pushed by the White House. The bill, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Joe Nicola of Grain Valley, sought to clarify liability for AI-related harm but was criticized for lacking enforcement mechanisms and containing drafting errors. Nicola had revised the bill after pressure from President Donald Trump’s AI team, but opponents argued it still risked violating federal broadband funding rules tied to a December executive order. The bill’s defeat followed concerns from Republican state Sens. Jamie Burger and Jason Bean, who warned it could jeopardize nearly $900 million in federal funds for rural broadband expansion. The White House had urged changes to avoid conflicts with the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, which restricts funds for states with overly burdensome AI laws. Despite passing the Senate last week with a 20-10 vote, Burger and Bean opposed it in committee, citing potential harm to U.S. entrepreneurs. During the House hearing, Nicola argued the bill would apply existing state law to AI rather than creating new regulations. However, Democratic state Rep. Elizabeth Fuchs questioned who would bear responsibility for AI-generated harm, such as false images shared on Meta’s platforms. Nicola clarified that end users wouldn’t be liable, nor would the state hold Meta accountable, leaving liability ambiguous. Lobbyists from Americans for Prosperity and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce testified against the bill, emphasizing its drafting flaws and weak enforcement. Nicola’s original proposal had included stricter liability rules for developers and mandatory reporting of AI-related harm to the Missouri Attorney General, but these were scaled back after White House objections. The final version retained only state product liability standards, which critics deemed insufficient.
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