Senate committee pauses bill that would authorize AI use in judicial settings; members call for tighter guardrails

Delegate Doug Hayes, sponsor of HB 1642, told the Senate Courts and Justice Committee that the bill would make clear that artificial-intelligence-based tools may be used in criminal justice processes so long as a qualified human decision-maker reviews and documents their use. He said the measure is intended to prevent automated systems from making final decisions in matters such as diversion, sentencing or release.

The proposal drew prolonged questioning from several senators who said the draft language is too broad and could have unintended consequences. Senators pressed on whether longstanding tools such as pretrial risk-assessment software or sentencing guidelines would fall under the bill’s definition of “AI-based tools,” whether the bill would require documentation of the data and rationale used by such tools, and whether a legislative authorization could undercut existing court challenges…