Senator Maroney Leads Passage of Bill to Protect Residents from AI Harms, Boost Workforce Readiness
Today, state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford), Chair of the General Law Committee, led Senate passage of a bill that will advance critical protections for Connecticut residents in the digital age.
Senate Bill 5, “An Act Concerning Online Safety,” addresses emerging harms from artificial intelligence, establishes workforce development programs, and positions Connecticut as a national leader in responsible AI policy.
“Today in Connecticut we acted to make sure that our residents are protected from online harms,” said Sen. Maroney. “We can no longer wait for DC to act. We put in safeguards to keep children and seniors safe from potential harms from chatbots, to ensure that employment decisions made using AI are fair and accurate, and made important steps towards making Connecticut the most AI literate workforce in the country.”
Protection for Residents
Senate Bill 5 advances critical AI legislation to protect Connecticut residents from emerging digital harms. It will require AI chatbot operators to make reasonable efforts to detect suicidal ideations or indicators of self-harm expressed by users and have a protocol to respond with appropriate resources.
This component of the bill is especially urgent given AI chatbot use trends and ongoing harms faced by vulnerable populations. These chatbots are being deployed and popularized rapidly without critical safeguards in place.
Safeguarding the mental health and safety of our young are at the heart of these components of the bill. More than 70% of teenagers use AI companions, with about 50% using them on a regular basis. There have been numerous cases in the U.S. of teenagers who have disclosed suicidality to AI chatbots who not only did not offer mental health resources but even encouraged and assisted minor users in attempting or completing suicide.
Adults have also been harmed due to AI chatbots. In Greenwich, Connecticut, a man killed his elderly mother and then himself after an AI chatbot repeatedly validated his mental health delusions and isolation. The chatbot encouraged him to distrust others and affirmed that they were conspiring against him, and apparently never directed him to mental health resources.
Other crucial protections include employment disclosures and discrimination. Employees deserve to be notified if AI is being used to make hiring and employment decisions, as these decisions greatly impact their careers and lives. Also, employers should not be able to use the deployment of AI decision technology for discriminatory employment decisions. If employers are prohibited from discriminating against employees, they should not be utilizing tools that have the same ultimate impact.
Empower and Promote a Responsible AI Workforce and Economic Development
Various programs and partnerships in this bill will ensure that residents are educated on technical skills so that our state is home to a robust AI talent network and working people are not left behind as our world quickly modernizes.
Training and information provided to nonprofits and small businesses will increase their AI literacy so they can apply efficiencies to their operations and function well in this new technological landscape.
Partnerships with the Department of Housing, Labor Department, and the Secretary of State will help connect Connecticut residents to the AI Academy, which will equip them with essential AI knowledge and skills to prosper in a modern workplace.
This bill will also establish an AI sandbox program. The program will provide an environment where development and collaboration can thrive, leading to breakthroughs and advancements while ensuring appropriate regulatory oversight.
The responsible use of AI also offers potential to enhance the efficiency of government and serve constituents. Programs and partnerships included in this bill will work toward modernizing our state government. Equipping Connecticut’s workforce with the skills and knowledge to utilize AI effectively is essential for realizing the full potential of this technology and ensuring a smooth and equitable transition into an AI economy. This legislation will ensure that residents are shielded from harmful AI models and that our state will be a leader in safe and innovative uses of AI.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michelle Rappaport | Michelle.Rappaport@cga.ct.gov | 860-240-8671