The US Senate has rejected a proposed 10-year federal freeze on state-level artificial intelligence laws, a move that would have limited local authority over AI regulations affecting broadcasters. In a 99-1 vote during the budget reconciliation process early Tuesday, lawmakers adopted an amendment from Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to remove the moratorium from President Donald Trump’s latest tax and spending bill.
The original provision would have linked access to a $500 million AI infrastructure fund to a requirement that states suspend AI regulation for a decade. Even a scaled-back version — negotiated over the weekend by Blackburn and Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) to allow a five-year pause with exceptions for child safety and unauthorized likeness use — failed to gain traction amid growing backlash.
By Monday, Blackburn reversed course and introduced a full repeal amendment, which passed overwhelmingly. Only Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) voted to keep the moratorium in place.
The amendment’s approval maintains states’ ability to pass and enforce their own AI regulations, which are already impacting radio and TV broadcasters. In the absence of a national framework, stations must now navigate a patchwork of state laws that vary in scope and enforcement.
In New York, broadcasters must include audible disclosures for political ads using AI-generated content. Other states — including California, Texas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Idaho, Indiana, New Mexico, Utah, Wisconsin, and Washington — have passed deepfake laws targeting unauthorized voice and image replication. Oregon’s statute goes further, requiring AI disclosure in all campaign communications.
Supporters of the original pause, including Cruz, argued that inconsistent state rules could hinder AI development and confuse compliance efforts. But lawmakers on both sides said preempting local authority would undermine consumer protection, especially for children, artists, and voters.
Broadcasters and trade groups such as the NAB have urged Congress to create a unified national standard, warning that conflicting state laws increase legal risk and operational burdens.
With the AI moratorium removed, the broader GOP-led budget bill continues its path toward a final vote ahead of Trump’s stated July 4 deadline. Differences between the House and Senate versions will need to be resolved before it can be signed into law.