Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
November 23, 2025 - OAKLAND – On Saturday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a letter to Congressional leaders opposing a proposed effort to introduce language in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would undermine state authority to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) and their ability to enact common sense guardrails on AI. In the letter, Attorney General Bonta asserts that any preemption of the states’ authority in this rapidly evolving area would seriously undermine the federalist system that has always allowed states to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging technologies in order to protect their residents’ health, safety, and general welfare.
“As the birthplace of AI and the fourth largest economy in the world, California’s technology policy and regulation is unmatched. Our state is better suited to help create a safe environment for cutting age innovation than anyone else,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I strongly oppose any federal AI law that strips states of their fundamental powers and denies all Americans the benefits of state-led progress in this rapidly evolving space.”
If adopted properly, artificial intelligence can be a cutting-edge tool of great value. This is why California has led the effort to enact commonsense transparency and reporting requirements for frontier AI models intended to guard against AI induced harms to the state and its people. Besides being a leader in technology policy and regulation, California is also home to 32 of the top 50 AI companies worldwide. This shows that common sense state regulations can coexist with cutting edge innovation, economic growth, and global leadership.
Any new effort to introduce language in the NDAA would limit state authority, and risk undermining the progress that California has already had in this space. Attorney General Bonta is committed to protecting Californians by responding to emerging and rapidly evolving AI technology.
This is not the first effort to curb states' right to protect their residents and foster safe AI technology. Earlier this year, Congressional leaders considered a proposed 10-year ban on states enforcing any state law or regulation addressing AI and automated decision-making systems. The ban was included in the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s changes to the budget reconciliation bill and was ultimately struck down in July. Attorney General Bonta opposed this plan (here and here).
A copy of the letter is available here.
Source: CA. DOJ
