The Next State to Regulate AI Will Be…Texas? What You Need to Know About The Newest State AI Law
We bet most of you didn’t have “Texas will beat California to the punch to regulate AI in the workplace” on your 2025 bingo card – but that’s what just happened. State lawmakers just overwhelmingly passed the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA) on Sunday, a state law that could soon establish guardrails on AI use but without adding significant new burdens for employers. TRAIGA was sent to Governor Abbott yesterday, and if he approves the bill as expected, Texas will join Colorado, Illinois, and other states in regulating the use of AI starting January 1, 2026. What do businesses, employers, and AI developers need to know about this surprising development? Quick Background on the AI “Texas Two-Step” Things took a surprising turn in the AI regulation race late last year when State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R) introduced a groundbreaking bill that aimed to force Texas employers to comply with what would have been the nation’s most comprehensive state-le...