Senator Kristen Gonzalez defends AI law to protect New Yorkers from data-driven harm.
The photo is courtesy of Senator Gonzalez’s office.
New York Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, who represents parts of West Queens, successfully passed two major bills designed to regulate the rise in artificial intelligence in public and private systems.
The legislation marks a key milestone in Gonzalez’s broader “safe and responsible artificial intelligence” package, positioning New York as one of the first states to implement comprehensive guardrails in AI technology.
Two bills – the New York Artificial Intelligence Act (S1169A) and the Government Act (S7599C) Automatic Decision Making System (S7599C) was passed in the Senate last week, with the latter clearing Congress on Monday, June 16th.
“The passage of these two bills is to promote safe and responsible development, deployment and the use of AI systems, rather than more deficits and stifling innovation. This expansion of New York AI Act and already enacted load laws represents my commitment to protecting consumers and workers.
Gonzalez, He chairs the Senate Committee on Internet and Technology, and Senate District 59 includes Long Island City and AstoriaThe bill aims to ensure that AI systems are transparent, accountable and that their use is useful in the public interest, especially as they expand in areas such as employment, housing, education, and public services.
The New York Artificial Intelligence Act requires businesses to disclose when using AI tools in high-stakes decision-making processes, including employment, housing applications, school hospitalizations, medical qualifications, and legal services. The bill requires regular impact assessments and implementation of fairness, accountability and non-discrimination standards. While passing the Senate, the bill must be brought to Congress in future sessions.
The second bill, an automated decision-making system in government law, requires that automated systems used by state agencies, particularly areas such as public assistance and civil liberties, be subject to regular impact assessments and include meaningful human surveillance. It is built on the 2024 law passed by Gonzalez and Congress member Steve Otis. The new bill will extend these requirements to state, county, and city agencies.
“The establishment of guardrails on these technologies in New York is particularly important at this point as Congressional Republicans seek to ban state and city-level AI regulations for the next decade.
The bill received support from trade unions and national digital rights groups.
“We praise Senator Gonzalez for her leadership,” said Mario Cilento, Chairman of the New York AFL-CIO. “This law will help ensure that public workers are not evacuated by AI and that those who rely on government programs and services are protected from discrimination and algorithmic bias.”
Kara Williams, a law fellow at the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), said the New York AI Act provides “urgently needed, common sense protections” that give residents meaningful rights when AI makes decisions about them.
Ben Winters, director of AI at AI’s Consumer Federation, agreed: “New Yorkers are past times when AI was used to make decisions about their lives. The transparency and accountability clauses in these bills give people information and opportunities to make informed decisions.”
If enacted, the law will make New York one of the first states to regulate both the public and private sectors of AI, joining California and Illinois, leading algorithm accountability.
