U.S. State AI Laws: A Use-by-Use Overview

State AI laws do not form one uniform category. Some regulate defined high-impact decisions; others amend employment, election, privacy, consumer-protection, or impersonation law. New York City Local Law 144, for example, covers certain automated employment decision tools. Illinois regulates AI analysis of recorded video interviews, and Tennessee protects voice and likeness against specified unauthorized uses. These laws differ in covered actors, triggers, remedies, and effective dates. Colorado’s SB 24-205, enacted in 2024, created the original consumer protections for high-risk AI systems. SB 25B-004 later extended those requirements to June 30, 2026. HB 25B-1009 proposed narrowing coverage and delaying the date, but it was postponed indefinitely and did not become law. Colorado enacted SB 26-189 on May 14, 2026. It reenacts the framework for automated decision-making in consequential decisions, with most substantive duties applying January 1, 2027. Specified provisions took effect on passage, including attorney-general rulemaking on disclosure and consumer-rights rules, insurer notice-rulemaking authority, and appropriation and administrative sections. Domains include education, employment, housing, finance, insurance, health care, and essential government services or benefits. Do not confuse the failed HB proposal with either enacted law. Other state measures address election deepfakes, consumer-facing chatbots, children’s online safety, or generative AI training data. A bill proposal, an enacted statute, an operative requirement, and a final court ruling are different statuses. There is no reliable state count without defining whether it includes only broad AI frameworks or also targeted laws mentioning algorithms or synthetic media. Federal civil-rights, privacy, consumer, and sector rules can operate alongside state law; preemption depends on the specific texts and doctrine. A useful tracker records each citation, regulated party, system and activity, effective date, enforcement route, remedies, exceptions, and litigation status. Map those triggers to product features and jurisdictions, then verify them against current statutes and regulations before relying on a headline or bill summary.