Federal officials say insurance will continue to cover these bullets. New Mexico is seeing record numbers of people enrolling in health insurance this year, even as some federal aid has expired. More than 81,000 new Mexicans have enrolled in medical or dental insurance through the state’s Be Well Marketplace, including more than 9,000 new customers. This is nearly 10,000 more than last year’s record. Registration is open until January 15th. AI, or artificial intelligence, is not just around the corner. here it is. And with so much uncharted territory when it comes to artificial intelligence, new Mexican lawmakers are already introducing legislation to help regulate AI. Jason McNab tells us more. AI continues to be a huge boom in society, and with it comes issues of privacy, inaccuracy, and potential use by malicious parties. The proposed housing bill aims to address generative AI apps like CHATGPT and SORA that can do things you’ve never done or make it seem like you’ve met someone you’ve never met. For example, I have never met President Trump or former President Biden. But I’m shaking their hands here. Obviously, something like this never happened. I’ve also never worn a suit and rode a camel in the Sahara desert. Still I’m here. Okay, let’s go. I rode a camel again, in a full suit, in the middle of the desert. This has never happened, but it could be worse. Like my fake mug shot being booked into MDC. For the record, this also never happened. But you begin to see how such fake images can cause reputational damage to individuals, especially when sex or nudity is involved. These images are now being used and, frankly, used to intimidate and take advantage of people. And we need to stop it. State Rep. Kristin Chandler is proposing new rules for sensitive deepfake images. Under House Bill 22, if someone was arrested for distributing this type of AI-generated image of someone without their consent, it would be a misdemeanor and victims would be able to sue for defamation, slander, and invasion of privacy. Chandler is confident the bill will have bipartisan support. Look, this is a victim assistance bill. Really, this is a violation of the Privacy Act. But as we know, the people targeted by these are victims of blackmail and fraud, and are portrayed in ways intended to cause emotional stress and embarrassment. A similar bill was introduced late in last year’s session but failed to gain enough support. Representative Chandler has high expectations for this year. KOAT ACTION SEVEN News and AI expert Jason McNab says AI content is becoming increasingly difficult to detect, but STIs are possible.
New Mexico lawmaker proposes bill to regulate AI and fight deepfakes
New Mexico lawmakers, led by Rep. Christine Chandler, are introducing legislation that would regulate the distribution of intimate deepfakes and address the role of AI in the hiring process.
Updated: January 7, 2026 4:55 AM MST
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Artificial intelligence is now a reality, and New Mexico lawmakers are proposing legislation aimed at regulating its use and addressing the challenges it poses. House Bill 22, filed by Rep. Christine Chandler, seeks to establish rules for sharing certain generated AI images and content. Chandler emphasized the urgency of the issue, saying, “This year we are working hard to get it passed.” Generative AI applications, such as ChatGPT and Sora, can create images that falsely portray individuals in a variety of scenarios, which can cause significant reputational damage. Chandler highlighted the dangers of intimate deepfakes, which include manipulated images of nudity and sexual content, saying, “Intimate photos, nudity, any sane person would be uncomfortable if it were done to them. And unfortunately, we know that these images are being used in our society right now, and they’re being used to blackmail and take advantage of people.” The proposed bill would classify the distribution of intimate deepfakes as minor. It recognizes misdemeanors and gives victims the right to sue. Chris Moore, an AI expert at the Santa Fe Institute, supported the need for such a bill, saying, “There’s clearly a lot of money flowing in, and there’s a lot of domestic politicians and business leaders who are saying don’t regulate us because they want to compete with China. You know, I understand that in some areas, but I may not understand that when it comes to deepfake porn.” In addition to addressing deepfakes, Chandler has proposed another bill, House Bill 28. This would allow individuals to challenge AI-based decisions in the hiring process, and would require chatbots to intermittently remind users that they are not interacting with an actual human. Moore noted that while AI content is becoming more difficult to detect, lighting mismatches and overly perfect or cinematic looks can still be indicators.
Santa Fe, New Mexico —
Artificial intelligence is now a reality, and New Mexico lawmakers are proposing legislation aimed at regulating its use and addressing the challenges it poses.
House Bill 22, filed by Rep. Christine Chandler, seeks to establish rules for sharing certain generated AI images and content. Mr. Chandler emphasized the urgency of this issue, saying, “We will do everything in our power to pass this bill this year.”
Generative AI applications such as ChatGPT and Sora can create images that falsely portray individuals in a variety of scenarios, which can cause significant reputational damage.
Chandler highlighted the dangers of intimate deepfakes, which include manipulated images of nudity and sexual content, saying, “Intimate photos, nudity, any decent human being would be uncomfortable if this was done to them. And unfortunately, we know that in our society, these images are being used right now, used to intimidate people, to take advantage of people.”
The proposed bill would classify the distribution of intimate deepfakes as a misdemeanor and give victims the right to sue.
Chris Moore, an AI expert at the Santa Fe Institute, supported the need for such a bill, saying, “There’s obviously a lot of money flowing in, and there are a lot of politicians and business leaders in this country who are saying don’t regulate it because they want to compete with China. I understand that in some areas, but maybe not with deepfake porn.”
In addition to tackling deepfakes, Chandler has proposed another bill, House Bill 28. The bill would allow individuals to challenge AI-based decisions in the hiring process and require chatbots to periodically remind users that they are not interacting with a real human.
Moore noted that while AI content is becoming more difficult to detect, lighting mismatches and overly perfect or cinematic looks can still be indicators.
