Senator Hughes outlines AI bill for state agencies, flags school‑age risks

Senator Shelley Hughes said she will refile an AI bill that would govern state agency use of artificial intelligence, emphasizing human oversight, transparency and post‑use checks for bias.

Hughes, who has participated on a bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures task force, said the bill’s goal is to require accountability when state agencies use AI tools that can affect individuals’ livelihoods. She listed three core principles: human oversight, transparency when agencies use AI and follow‑up reviews to detect built‑in bias.

Hughes also raised concerns about AI in education. Citing her outreach to developers, she said the technical benefits of tutoring bots must be balanced against social and emotional risks for children. She noted a reported case in which a child developed an unhealthy emotional attachment to a chatbot and that such dynamics require study before widespread classroom deployment.

“My focus has simply been that state agency use be responsible,” Hughes said. “There be human oversight. That we have transparency as far as when it is being used, that we go back and do checks to make sure there wasn't some built in bias.”

Hughes said the bill is aimed at state agency use rather than private‑sector restrictions and that she will seek bipartisan engagement as the text is drafted and introduced.