Claim via Social Media
Viral posts claim the “Big Beautiful Bill” backed by Republicans includes a provision that bans U.S. states from regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for the next 10 years.
Explanation
This claim is no longer accurate. While an early draft of House Resolution 1 did include a 10-year prohibition on state-level AI regulation, the version that passed the House on May 22, 2025, and is now under Senate review, does not contain that provision.
Instead, the updated bill ties state AI policy to broadband infrastructure funding. States that choose to regulate AI risk losing access to these federal funds. This shift was made to comply with the Byrd Rule, which limits non-budgetary policy items in reconciliation bills.
Across the U.S., states continue to pursue AI regulation. According to a Public Citizen tracker, over half of states have introduced legislation addressing AI-generated deepfakes in elections.
For example, in Oklahoma, HB 1364 was signed into law on May 5, 2025. It prohibits the distribution of three or more AI-generated sexually explicit images. While other bills such as SB 894 and SB 746 have stalled in the state Senate, they reflect the broader trend toward active state involvement in AI oversight.
Conclusion
Fact or Fiction? Fiction. The final House version of the “Big Beautiful Bill” does not include a 10-year ban on state AI regulation. Instead, it seeks to discourage such regulation by threatening to withhold broadband funding. States are still free to pass AI laws—and many are doing just that.
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Last Updated on June 22, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check