The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee bipartisanly favored a bill 10-0 to establish a comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bill of Rights aimed largely at protecting children and Floridians' data privacy during a panel discussion this week.
Sen. Tom Leek (R-St. Augustine) sponsored the bill (SB 482) in the Senate. Leek discussed the bill with Republican and Democratic members of the committee on Wednesday.
"This bill is predominantly about protecting Florida's children and vulnerable adults, as well as consumers," Leek said. "It is purposely and deliberately targeted at those protections and not the universe of things that could be done."
Gov. Ron DeSantis first announced that the state would work with the Florida Legislature to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bill of Rights for individual Floridians in December. The proposal by the governor included protections against Chinese influence and protections for individuals against name, image, and likeness (NIL) schemes.
"Quite simply, you know, we get a 60-day session once a year, if we don't act, and Congress doesn't act, those protections won't exist for Florida's children and vulnerable adults," Leek continued. "I believe we have to act. In fact, I think it's morally correct to act to protect those children."
Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) agreed, calling it a "strong and necessary" legislation during debate.
"I think that this AI bill of rights is a strong and necessary first step," Smith said. "It recognizes that innovation and individual rights can go hand in hand, really. I think the bill embraces the opportunities that come with AI, while also drawing very clear lines to protect our privacy, protect our dignity, and to protect basic fairness."
The full vote total can be viewed here.
Rep. Alex Rizo (R-Miami) filed an identical bill (HB 1395) in the House. SB 482 next heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for discussion.
If fully passed, SB 482 would take effect on July 1.
