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National AI safety rules
National AI safety rules
Lobbying

State-Level Action as a Lever

Encourage states to pass their own AI laws and serve as “laboratories of democracy.”

Help states adopt enforceable AI transparency and anti-discrimination rules that protect residents now and create models Congress can scale. This strategy focuses on drafting workable standards, building coalitions, and turning early state wins into proof points that shape federal action. It also keeps pressure on Congress by making the patchwork problem harder to ignore.

Why this works

  • In the absence of federal law, state governments have begun enacting meaningful AI regulations – e.g.
  • Texas and Colorado’s AI acts impose transparency, anti-discrimination rules, and even prohibited practices like social scoring.
  • These state laws can protect residents now and create models for federal legislation.
  • They also keep pressure on Congress (as more states act, industry may accept a single federal standard rather than comply with 50 regimes).

Public Citizen

Advocacy
citizen.org

Championing consumer rights and accountable government

Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 by Ralph Nader. It works to ensure that all citizens are represented in the halls of power by promoting public health and safety, government transparency, and corporate accountability. Public Citizen fights for campaign finance reform and ethics (it helped create the Office of Congressional Ethics:), advocates for safe pharmaceuticals and medical devices, pushes for strong consumer protections in trade deals, and litigates to enforce health, safety, and environmental laws.

Mechanism

About Lobbying

How Public Citizen uses funding

  1. Identify leading state proposals and existing laws that can serve as templates.
  2. Draft and share model language that emphasizes transparency, accountability, and anti-discrimination protections.
  3. Build coalitions that can move bills through legislatures and sustain implementation after passage.
  4. Provide technical assistance to lawmakers and agencies on enforceable requirements and practical compliance.
  5. Track adoption and publish lessons learned so states can iterate toward stronger standards.
  6. Use state wins to pressure Congress to act without freezing stronger protections.
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Milestones

Checkpoints and the expected timing for each step

  1. 1

    Model state package drafted

    Early

    A reusable set of provisions and messaging is ready for state lawmakers and partners.

  2. 2

    Champions and coalitions aligned

    As bills are introduced

    Legislative sponsors and supporting coalitions commit to moving aligned legislation.

  3. 3

    First wave of bills advances

    During state action

    Bills move through legislative steps with enforceable provisions intact.

  4. 4

    Implementation support prepared

    After enactment

    Agencies and stakeholders have guidance and a plan for enforcement and compliance.

  5. 5

    Federal leverage moment created

    Ongoing

    State models are referenced to shape federal negotiations toward a stronger national framework.

Risks, trade-offs & sources

Updates

No updates yet.

Updates will appear here as the strategy progresses.

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