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Lawmakers Seek GAO Review of State and Federal AI Regulations

By  |  February 19, 2026
AI regulations, legislation, education

A pair of Republican lawmakers on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee are asking the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to get a handle on the full scope of state and federal AI regulations. Reps. Brian Babin (TX) and Jay Obernolte (CA), respectively the committee chair and the chair of the Research and Technology Subcommittee, sent a letter Wednesday to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro requesting GAO to conduct a “comprehensive review” of current federal and state laws regulating artificial intelligence with an eye toward informing future legislative efforts.

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    “In recent years, a variety of federal and state legislation, executive orders, and other forms of guidance have established requirements for the development, deployment, and use of AI,” the letter said, according to NextGov/FCW. “To address these critical questions and aid in the legislative process, we request that GAO examine the current laws and regulations governing AI at both the federal and state levels.”

    The letter acknowledges the difficulty Congress facing in drafting AI regulations in the absence of a comprehensive policy framework, per NextGov. But the lawmakers stressed that the review would enable Congress to evaluate the current regulatory landscape, including both state and federal laws, to determine where federal action could be helpful and appropriate.

    “This review should cover laws and regulations that specifically pertain to AI, as well as existing laws and regulations that could be applied to AI,” the letter said.

    Related: January 2026 Brings a New Phase of AI Rules Across the United States, Europe, and China

    The letter comes as the Trump administration has tasked individual federal agencies to conduct their own reviews of state and federal AI regulations within their respective purviews with an eye toward eliminating or preempting as many as possible. The White House has threatened to withhold certain federal funds from states it determines to have imposed “unduly burdensome” regulations on AI systems and companies.

    Republicans in Congress have also twice sought to insert a provision to impose a 10-year moratorium on state AI laws into broader bills only to be forced to drop the moratorium language from the measures in the face of opposition.

    “I hope that we don’t have to do a moratorium. I hope that we can go straight to passing that framework,” Obernolte told Nextgov/FCW in early February.

    According to a tally by the National Conference of State Legislatures, all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia saw AI-related bills introduced in 2025, and 38 states enacted around 100 AI-related measures. Since 2024, nearly 1,000 bills touching on one or more aspect of AI have been introduced in state houses around the country.

    The growing thicket of state regulations has increased pressure on Congress to develop a comprehensive policy framework to guide federal legislation that would override state rules. But with midterm elections looming comprehensive legislation may have to wait until the new Congress is seated in January 2027.