Bipartisan AI Bill: Federal Framework & State Preemption

A new bipartisan bill aims to create the first comprehensive federal framework for governing frontier artificial intelligence. The "Great American Artificial Intelligence Act of 2026" was introduced by Representatives Jay Obernolte and Lori Trahan, along with four co-sponsors. This 269-page bill would require powerful AI companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google to publish safety frameworks, submit to twice-yearly independent audits, and report critical incidents to federal regulators. Penalties for violations could reach up to one million dollars per day. However, the bill faces swift criticism for a provision that would block states from regulating AI model development for three years. This preemption has drawn fire from labor unions, civil society groups, and AI safety advocates. The bill's impact on state-level AI regulation is a significant point of contention for many.