Oklahoma – Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro have issued a rare bipartisan joint statement expressing opposition to a key provision in the federal budget reconciliation bill currently moving through the U.S. Senate.
The two governors voiced concern over proposed language in the bill that would prohibit states from regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for the next ten years. Both leaders emphasized the need for states to maintain the ability to respond to rapidly evolving technologies in ways that reflect their unique priorities.
“As Governors, we are opposed to language that would prohibit states from regulating artificial intelligence for the next decade,” the statement reads. “As emerging technologies rapidly evolve, it is essential that states retain the flexibility to respond to their unique economic, social, and public safety needs.”
Stitt, a Republican, and Shapiro, a Democrat, highlighted their states’ shared interest in fostering innovation while also addressing potential risks. “In Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, we both recognize the importance of maintaining this flexibility in order to continue creating real growth and opportunity – and to help manage the challenges of the future as states,” they added.
The joint message reflects growing bipartisan concern at the state level over federal efforts to centralize control of AI policy. The governors’ statement is expected to intensify national debate over the balance between federal oversight and state-level innovation in emerging technologies.
