NM AG Raúl Torrez Joins Bipartisan Letter Opposing Amendment Which Would Prohibit States from Enforcing Artificial Intelligence Regulations

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from 39 states and territories in a letter to Congress opposing a sweeping U.S. House amendment that would block states from regulating artificial intelligence and automated decision-making for the next decade.

“Artificial Intelligence will be the most impactful technology of our generation and states must have the ability to shepherd its progress in a safe and responsible way,” said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “While Congress has failed to act, we’ve worked hard to develop new proposals—like House Bill 401—which would have penalized the use of AI-generated content for harassment, extortion, or defamation, and created tools to detect harmful synthetic media and unmask bad actors. Though it didn’t pass, strong state-level protections are still urgently needed, and states must have the flexibility to regulate this emerging technology if Congress refuses to act.”

AI promises to revolutionize America’s economy, spur achievement and innovation, and improve lives across the country. However, the rise of such technology presents real, immediate dangers ranging from explicit material and election interference to deception, exploitation, and harassment against consumers. In the absence of federal leadership, state legislatures and attorneys general have continued to be at the forefront of ensuring AI is not abused and that consumers are protected.

As the letter to Congress emphasizes, state laws and regulations “have been developed over years through careful consideration and extensive stakeholder input from consumers, industry, and advocates. And, in the years ahead, additional matters—many unforeseeable today given the rapidly evolving nature of this technology—are likely to arise.”

If enacted, the amendment would strip away essential state protections without replacing them with a viable federal regulatory framework and silence state leaders who are best positioned to respond. Any effort to prohibit states from enacting and enforcing laws aimed at regulating AI and protecting consumers will leave AI entirely unregulated at any level and Americans completely exposed to its known harms and evolving, real-world risks—ultimately leading to dangerous consequences for the American people.

The bipartisan coalition of attorneys general respectfully urges Congress to reject the AI moratorium added to the budget reconciliation bill.

Led by the attorneys general of Colorado, Tennessee, New Hampshire, and Vermont, AG Torrez joins American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin in the bipartisan letter to Congress.

The full letter is linked below.

2025.05.15 Letter to Congress re Proposed AI Preemption

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