Quick answer. Using AI doesn't by itself trigger a law; what you use it for and where your people are does. As of November 2026, the laws a small business is most likely to meet cover AI in hiring (New York City, Illinois, and from 2027 Colorado and California's privacy rules), chatbots that talk to customers (Utah, Maine, and Colorado from 2027), AI-made people in ads (New York) and prices set by algorithms from personal data (New York). Pick your places and uses below to see the ones that may apply.
Check which AI laws may apply to you
Pick at least one place and one use to see the list.
All 13 rules we track
12 state and city laws, regulations and official guidance, plus the federal FTC rules that apply everywhere. Statuses are as of November 2026; dates have moved before, so check the source before you rely on one.
| Law | Where | Covers | Status | Enforced by | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC Local Law 144 New York City Local Law 144 of 2021: automated employment decision tools (AEDT) | New York City | Hiring and employees | In effect: Enforced since July 5, 2023 | NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection | NYC DCWP |
| Illinois Human Rights Act (AI in employment) Illinois Human Rights Act, as amended by Public Act 103-0804 (HB 3773): artificial intelligence in employment | Illinois | Hiring and employees | In effect: January 1, 2026 | Illinois Department of Human Rights | Illinois General Assembly |
| Colorado ADMT Act (SB 26-189) Colorado Senate Bill 26-189, automated decision-making technology (repealed and reenacted the Colorado AI Act, SB 24-205) | Colorado | Hiring and employees, Prices and consumer decisions | Scheduled: January 1, 2027, for consequential decisions made on or after that date | Colorado Attorney General, under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act | Colorado Attorney General |
| Colorado Chatbot Safety Act (HB 26-1263) Colorado House Bill 26-1263, Chatbot Safety Act (operators of conversational AI services) | Colorado | Customer chatbots | Scheduled: Requirements begin January 1, 2027 | Colorado Department of Law | Colorado Attorney General |
| Texas TRAIGA (HB 149) Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (HB 149, 89th Legislature) | Texas | Hiring and employees, Customer chatbots, Prices and consumer decisions | In effect: January 1, 2026 | Texas Attorney General, exclusively | Texas Legislature |
| Utah AI disclosure law Utah AI disclosure rules (Utah Code Title 13, Chapter 75), first enacted in SB 149 (2024) and rewritten by SB 226 (2025) | Utah | Customer chatbots | In effect: Current version in effect since May 7, 2025 | Utah Division of Consumer Protection | Utah Legislature |
| Maine AI chatbot disclosure law Maine Public Law 2025, chapter 294 (LD 1727): An Act to Ensure Transparency in Consumer Transactions Involving Artificial Intelligence | Maine | Customer chatbots | In effect: September 24, 2025 (the general effective date for that session's nonemergency laws) | A violation is a violation of the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act | Maine Legislature |
| California CCPA ADMT regulations California Consumer Privacy Act regulations on automated decisionmaking technology, risk assessments and cybersecurity audits (California Privacy Protection Agency) | California | Hiring and employees, Prices and consumer decisions | Scheduled: Regulations effective January 1, 2026; ADMT requirements apply from January 1, 2027 | California Privacy Protection Agency | CPPA |
| California Civil Rights Council ADS rules California Civil Rights Council regulations on automated-decision systems in employment (Fair Employment and Housing Act) | California | Hiring and employees | Status unconfirmed: Status unconfirmed: check calcivilrights.ca.gov | California Civil Rights Department | California Civil Rights Department |
| New York synthetic performer ad law New York General Business Law section 396-b: synthetic performers in advertisements (S.8420-A, chapter 617 of 2025) | New York State, including NYC | Ads and images | In effect: June 9, 2026 (the 180th day after it became law on December 11, 2025) | Civil penalties under the law | New York State Senate |
| New York Algorithmic Pricing Disclosure Act New York Algorithmic Pricing Disclosure Act (General Business Law section 349-a) | New York State, including NYC | Prices and consumer decisions | In effect: November 10, 2025 | New York Attorney General | New York State Senate |
| NJ guidance on algorithmic discrimination New Jersey Division on Civil Rights: Guidance on Algorithmic Discrimination and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination | New Jersey | Hiring and employees, Prices and consumer decisions | Official guidance: Guidance issued January 9, 2025; it explains the existing Law Against Discrimination | New Jersey Division on Civil Rights | NJ Attorney General and Division on Civil Rights |
| FTC Act and reviews rule Federal Trade Commission Act (deceptive practices) as applied to AI, and the FTC's Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule | Nationwide | Customer chatbots, Ads and images | In effect: In effect; the reviews rule since October 21, 2024 | Federal Trade Commission | FTC |
Federal action on state AI laws
These official documents concern state AI laws. As we read them, none of them by itself changes a state law's effective date.
- Executive Order 14365 (December 11, 2025) directs the Attorney General to set up a task force to challenge state AI laws that conflict with the order's policy, the Commerce Department to publish an evaluation of state AI laws, the FCC and FTC to take related steps, and advisers to recommend federal legislation. It does not itself declare any state law preempted.
- AI Litigation Task Force: the Attorney General's memorandum of January 9, 2026 established it within the Justice Department.
- FTC proposed policy statement (July 1, 2026) on AI accuracy. It says a state law such as Colorado's AI Act is "impliedly preempted to the extent it conflicts with a federal regulatory scheme." It was a proposal, with comments due July 31, 2026; we found no final version on ftc.gov when we checked.
We could not confirm on an official page whether the Commerce Department's evaluation of state laws has been published; check commerce.gov. For any later federal law, check congress.gov.
What's not on this list
- California's 2025 Civil Rights Council rules on automated-decision systems in employment are listed as "status unconfirmed": we couldn't open the official text. Check calcivilrights.ca.gov.
- California's bot disclosure law (Business and Professions Code section 17940 and following) is left out because we couldn't open the official code text to confirm its current wording.
- Political ads and election deepfakes are covered by separate state election laws and aren't tracked here.
- Industry rules for insurers, lenders, health care and other licensed fields may add more. Ask your licensing agency or attorney.
- Other states: many have bills pending. Your state legislature's and attorney general's sites are the official sources.
Sources
- NYC DCWP: Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDT)
- NYS Comptroller: Enforcement of Local Law 144 (Report 2024-N-6, December 2, 2025)
- Illinois General Assembly: Bill Status of HB 3773 (Public Act 103-0804)
- Illinois Department of Human Rights: Artificial Intelligence in Employment
- Illinois Human Rights Commission: June 2026 presentation materials
- Colorado Attorney General: Artificial Intelligence
- Colorado Legislative Council Staff: SB 26-189 fiscal note (May 6, 2026)
- Colorado Legislative Council Staff: HB 26-1263 final fiscal note (July 13, 2026)
- Texas Legislature: H.B. No. 149, enrolled text
- Utah Legislature: S.B. 226 (2025), enrolled
- Utah Legislature: S.B. 332 (2025), enrolled
- Maine Legislature: LD 1727 law summary
- Maine Legislature: LD 1727 status
- Laws of the State of Maine, 132nd Legislature (effective dates)
- CPPA: California Finalizes Regulations to Strengthen Consumers' Privacy (September 23, 2025)
- CPPA: Regulations (current CCPA regulation text)
- California Civil Rights Department: Civil Rights Council secures approval for regulations (June 30, 2025)
- New York State Senate: S8420 (2025), status and text
- New York State Senate: General Business Law section 349-A
- New York Attorney General: consumer alert on algorithmic pricing (November 5, 2025)
- NJ Attorney General and Division on Civil Rights: Guidance on Algorithmic Discrimination (January 2025)
- NJ Attorney General: announcement of the guidance (January 9, 2025)
- FTC: Operation AI Comply (September 25, 2024)
- FTC: final order against Workado, LLC (August 28, 2025)
- FTC: Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, Questions and Answers
- Executive Order 14365, Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence (December 11, 2025; 90 FR 58499)
- U.S. Department of Justice: Artificial Intelligence Litigation Task Force memorandum (January 9, 2026)
- FTC: FTC Seeks Public Comment on Policy Statement Addressing AI Accuracy (July 1, 2026)
A tracker, checked November 2026 against the official sources above. Not legal advice, and not a finding that any law does or doesn't apply to you: confirm with the source and with an attorney. This page describes what each law says and takes no position on any of them. The checker runs in your browser; nothing you pick is sent or saved.
Common questions
Do state AI laws apply to small businesses?
Some do. Most of the laws on this page have no small-business exemption that we could confirm; they turn on what you use AI for and where your candidates, employees or customers are. A business that uses an AI hiring tool for a job in New York City, or a chatbot with customers in Maine or Utah, can be covered. Read each law's "who it covers" line and confirm with the official source.
Do I have to tell customers they're chatting with AI?
It depends on the state. Utah requires a business using generative AI to say so when a consumer clearly asks, with stricter rules for licensed occupations. Maine bars using a chatbot in a way that could make a reasonable consumer think it's a human unless the consumer is told. Colorado's Chatbot Safety Act adds disclosure duties for operators of conversational AI services from January 1, 2027. The FTC also warns against misleading claims about AI.
What is a bias audit under New York City's law?
Local Law 144 says an automated employment decision tool used for jobs in New York City must have had a bias audit within one year before use, with a summary of the results made public, and candidates must get notice. DCWP's page on automated employment decision tools has the rules and the audit details.
Is the Colorado AI Act in effect?
Colorado's 2024 AI Act (SB 24-205) was repealed and reenacted by Senate Bill 26-189, signed in May 2026. According to the Colorado Attorney General, the new law takes effect January 1, 2027. The Attorney General's rules were still being finalized when we checked, and the legislature's fiscal note describes a federal court order limiting enforcement until rulemaking is complete, so check coag.gov.
Did the federal executive order cancel state AI laws?
No official document we found does that by itself. Executive Order 14365 (December 11, 2025) directs federal agencies to review and challenge state AI laws and asks for a recommendation on federal legislation. The Justice Department formed an AI Litigation Task Force in January 2026, and the FTC proposed a policy statement in July 2026. Unless a court, Congress or a final federal rule changes a state law, its official dates still stand.
Which places should I pick in the checker?
Pick every place where you hire, have employees or sell to consumers, not just where your office is. The laws are written around the people affected: New York City's law covers jobs in the city, and New York's pricing law covers prices offered to New York consumers.
Related: AI tool risk check (how much business data your team puts into AI tools) · Small Business AI Use Policy Kit (employee policy and tool approval checklist)