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Senate committee weighs limits on AI in mental‑health care while experts urge narrower fixes
Summary
The Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee heard competing views on SB640: social‑work and therapist groups urged banning autonomous AI from providing therapy and requiring clinician oversight and informed consent, while researchers warned a broad ban would block clinically tested AI tools and harm access.
The Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee spent more than two hours on SB640, a bill that would bar artificial‑intelligence systems from delivering therapy autonomously and make licensed clinicians responsible for any AI tools they use.
Supporters, including Lynn Courrier of the National Association of Social Workers–New Hampshire, told the committee that the bill is intended to protect patients from chatbots that lack clinical judgment. "AI is pattern matching, not deep understanding," Courrier said, arguing that non‑regulated platforms have been linked to harmful outcomes and suicides. She said licensed clinicians should remain responsible for any AI outputs and obtain…
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