FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878 

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley praises the U.S. Senate’s decision to remove a provision from the budget reconciliation bill that would have imposed a 10-year prohibition on states from enforcing any state law or regulation addressing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automated decision-making systems.

“This provision would have kept States from enforcing deep fake child pornography and election integrity laws,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Thank you to Senators Thune and Rounds for opposing this provision and allowing States to do our job.”

The proposed amendment would have imposed a 10-year prohibition on states from enforcing any state law or regulation addressing AI.

Attorney General Jackley was one of 40 Attorneys General who sent a letter in May to Congressional Leadership asking them not to include the moratorium. Attorney General Jackley also personally reached out to South Dakota’s two U.S. Senators, asking for their support.

Senators voted 99-1 to remove the provision.

In 2024, Attorney General Jackley helped draft Senate Bill 79 which included his legislation that revised certain definitions to the current child pornography laws and criminalized the possession, manufacturing, or distribution of child pornography. The bill was passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.

The Attorneys General letter to Congress can be found here:

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