HARRISBURG — Co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Senate Communications and Technology Committee Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24) and Sen. Nick Miller (D-14) sent a letter to Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation urging members to reconsider language added during markup of H. Con. Res. 14 that would bar state governments from regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for a period of ten years.

The letter states, “For the United States to remain the global leader in AI, states must retain the flexibility to act swiftly as new opportunities and risks emerge. State legislatures are often first to confront these challenges, including protecting consumers, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and promoting innovation and development of small and medium sized businesses. A decade-long preemption would impede this essential work.

“Pennsylvania is working to become a national leader in AI. In 2023, a bipartisan, bicameral effort produced Act 125, which criminalizes AI-generated child sexual-abuse material and intimate deepfakes. Additional legislation is advancing to curb AI-enabled fraud, combat invasions of privacy, and cyber security threats, and to protect our seniors and other vulnerable citizens. The Commonwealth is also working to support a far reaching “AI ecosystem” centered in Pittsburgh, which seeks to grow partnerships between world-class universities, research institutes, technology companies and start-ups, and is poised to become a national model for responsible AI collaboration and development.

“These initiatives depend on prompt state action tailored to Pennsylvania’s needs. Under the proposed federal language, similar efforts, both current and future, would be prevented, delaying protections for residents and stunting local economic growth.

“States have always served as “laboratories of democracy,” crafting policies that reflect the unique circumstances of their communities. Preserving that role is special and critical in a rapidly evolving field such as AI. For these reasons, we respectfully urge that the preemption language be removed during reconciliation.

“We welcome the opportunity to further collaborate with Congress and federal agencies to craft a balanced framework — one that safeguards the public, encourages responsible innovation, and allows each state to contribute to America’s continued leadership in artificial intelligence.”