Conn. Legislators Mostly Support Privacy, AI Bills at Markup

Multiple Connecticut privacy and AI bills appeared to have enough votes to advance to the Senate floor at the joint General Laws Committee’s livestreamed meeting Friday. The committee approved an age-verification measure (SB-1295) as part of a consent agenda vote, but final roll calls weren't clear at our deadline on a comprehensive privacy update and two AI bills.

The GOP generally supports SB-1356 by committee Co-Chair James Maroney (D), which would update the state’s comprehensive privacy law, said Ranking House Member David Rutigliano (R). The bill aims to tighten exemptions and add data minimization rules (see 2412300043). However, Rutigliano raised concerns about the measure dropping the privacy law’s applicability threshold to 35,000 consumers from 100,000.

Also, the Republican asked why the same privacy limits can’t apply to government, which is exempted from the state privacy law. Other Republicans raised concerns about its impact on small businesses.

With the Connecticut privacy law out for a few years and with now about 20 states also having comprehensive laws, Maroney said he feels comfortable that smaller companies can find compliance tools. On the other concern, Maroney said open record laws prevent applying the same rules to government. For example, the right to delete can’t apply to public records, he said. However, the Democrat agreed that there should be limits on how government uses data and promised to work with Rutigliano on the issue.

The age-verification bill received wide support. The committee heard testimony last month on the attorney general-enforced SB-1295, which would require social media platforms to perform impact assessments and create online safety centers to combat cyberbullying and promote mental well-being. It requires platforms to obtain verifiable parental consent for minors using certain social media features (see 2502190057).

Two Republicans raised concerns about SB-2, another Maroney bill that is similar to the AI bill that Colorado passed last year. A different AI bill (SB-1249), recommended by Gov. Ned Lamont (D), received less opposition from Republican committee members. Maroney voted yes on both bills Friday.

Sen. John Kissel (R) said he thinks it’s great that Connecticut led on comprehensive privacy legislation but isn’t sure the state should intervene in the AI space as SB-2 proposes. Kissel agreed with concerns raised by Connecticut Chief Innovation Officer Daniel O’Keefe, representing the Gov. Ned Lamont (D) administration, at a Feb. 26 hearing (see 2502260035).

AI and its technological innovations "may turn out to be the goose that lays a giant egg,” but innovators won’t want to come to Connecticut if they’re forced to reveal trade secrets and proprietary information, said Kissel. “I don't want to strangle the baby in its cradle.”

Turning to another metaphor, the Republican said that locomotives scared some when they first arrived, but the communities that drove away the railroad eventually suffered. “We could be one of those towns that miss out on the railroad, and it's going to pass us by."

Responding to Kissel’s locomotive comparison, SB-2 author and General Laws Committee Co-Chair James Maroney (D) noted that, unlike AI, "railroads are on tracks, so people know exactly where they're going." Also, government places speed limits on trains, he said. SB-2 "simply looks to test something before you use it to make an important decision about someone's life to see if it's fair and is it accurate,” said Maroney.

Sen. Paul Cicarella (R) promised to continue working with Maroney on the bill but would vote no on Friday. Cicarella said his concerns centered on small business impact. On one question about this, Maroney assured the Republican that a small company would not be held liable if it was using an AI tool developed by another business to screen resumes.

Maroney’s AI bill is a priority for Democratic leaders of the Connecticut Senate. The proposed AI law is intended to dovetail with the Connecticut Data Privacy Act, Maroney told Privacy Daily earlier this year (see 2412200047). However, Gov. Lamont raised concerns about last year’s version of Maroney's legislation, which ended up stalling in the House, and this year recommended SB-1249.

SB-2 would specifically address concerns about using automated decision-making technology (ADMT) in hiring, housing and other important decisions. The bill seeks guardrails on ADMT including by requiring transparency and impact assessments. In addition, the bill would criminalize deepfake revenge porn and promote workforce training.

At last month’s hearing, TechNet and other industry groups urged state lawmakers to avoid imposing burdensome requirements on the nascent industry. On the other hand, Consumer Reports generally supported the bill, while also saying it could be strengthened further.