The AI LABS Act directs the Secretary of Education to provide competitive grants to states for establishing or expanding artificial intelligence programs in elementary and secondary schools. These funds are specifically designated for creating dedicated curricula that teach students how to use and understand AI, as well as providing professional development for teachers to integrate these tools into their instruction. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary to conduct a study on how states utilize the grant money and submit a report with recommendations to Congress within one year of enactment.
The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026 is a comprehensive legislative proposal designed to reduce health disparities by mandating standardized data collection on race, ethnicity, gender identity, and socioeconomic status across federal health programs. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish new commissions and task forces focused on preventing bias in artificial intelligence and ensuring equitable data reporting during public health emergencies. It also expands access to care for underserved populations by removing citizenship barriers to Medicaid, increasing funding for minority-serving institutions, and requiring culturally and linguistically appropriate services from federally assisted health providers. Additionally, the legislation addresses specific disease disparities through targeted research grants and mandates that drug manufacturers investigate and report on racial or ethnic differences in drug safety and effectiveness.
The People-First Chatbot Act imposes strict privacy and safety regulations on companies that create or distribute AI chatbots, requiring them to obtain explicit user consent before using personal data for training or advertising purposes. The bill mandates that providers clearly disclose when users are interacting with an AI rather than a human, prohibit the sale of chat logs, and limit data retention to five years unless required by law. Additionally, companies must conduct monthly risk assessments for potential harms such as emotional dependence or compulsive usage, with specific safeguards required to protect minors from features that could cause significant injury. Enforcement is handled by the Federal Trade Commission, while state attorneys general and private individuals are granted the right to file lawsuits against providers who violate these provisions.
The Army Quantum Readiness Act requires the Secretary of the Army to establish a new initiative focused on integrating quantum computing and advanced technologies into military operations, intelligence, and logistics. This initiative aims to identify practical applications for these technologies, assess necessary infrastructure upgrades such as power and cybersecurity, and develop strategies for training the required workforce. The bill also authorizes the creation of pilot projects and demonstration activities to test quantum-enabled tools, including artificial intelligence and secure networking. Finally, it mandates that the Secretary submit a detailed report to Congress within 270 days outlining readiness requirements, recommended investments, and necessary legislative changes to accelerate this transition.
The AI Advertising Disclosure Act requires companies operating AI chatbots and generative search features with over 50,000 monthly users to clearly disclose when their responses are influenced by paid partnerships or commercial arrangements. These disclosures must be visible without scrolling, use plain language, and identify the specific nature of the sponsorship, while also prohibiting AI systems from denying they are artificial or hiding sponsored content behind organic-looking answers. The bill grants the Federal Trade Commission authority to enforce these rules and allows state attorneys general and private individuals to sue for violations, with potential penalties including triple damages for willful misconduct.
The Open-Source AI Leadership Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to promote the adoption of U.S.-developed open-source artificial intelligence models by coordinating with private sector entities, state governments, and foreign partners. The bill requires the Department of Commerce to identify barriers to using these domestic models and to enter into agreements that facilitate their use in interstate and foreign commerce. Additionally, it mandates an annual public report assessing the risks associated with AI models developed by foreign adversary nations, including concerns about data security, national safety, and model performance. A specific provision ensures that the Secretary of Commerce cannot use this authority to ban or restrict any open-source AI model from being available in the market.
The Doctors Not AI Act of 2026 prohibits health insurance plans from using artificial intelligence systems to issue or dictate adverse benefit determinations that involve clinical judgment, such as decisions based on medical necessity or treatment appropriateness. Instead, these determinations must be made by a licensed healthcare professional who conducts an independent evaluation of the patient's specific medical circumstances without deferring to AI outputs. The bill requires insurers to disclose in written notices if any AI system was used during the review process and mandates that detailed documentation regarding the AI's role and outputs be maintained as part of the administrative record, available to patients upon request. Additionally, the legislation classifies the use of AI in utilization review as a treatment limitation for parity purposes, ensuring it is evaluated equally across mental health and medical-surgical benefits under existing federal laws.
Pennsylvania Senate Resolution 356 designates the week of August 17 through 23, 2026, as "Social Media Safety and Parental Awareness Week." The resolution cites rising statistics on online child exploitation, including sextortion and the use of artificial intelligence for abuse, to highlight the need for greater vigilance. It encourages educational programming and public awareness efforts aimed at protecting minors from these digital threats as students prepare to return to school.
Enacts the "fostering optimal classroom use of screens (FOCUS) act" to limit use of internet enabled and electronic devices and prioritize non-digital teaching methods; prohibits use by younger students; limits and restricts certain uses by older students; requires written policies for opting in for the school issued devices; prohibits social media applications, gaming and AI in school issued devices; requires registration by educational technology providers.
By Representative Uyterhoeven of Somerville, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Erika Uyterhoeven for legislation to regulate artificial intelligence. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.
