ACLU Wants Private Right of Action in Rhode Island AI Bill
Rhode Island lawmakers should add a private right of action to their comprehensive AI legislation, the American Civil Liberties Union told that state's Senate Artificial Intelligence Committee at a hearing Monday.
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Introduced by Sen. Louis DiPalma (D), S-627 is modeled after a bill from Connecticut Sen. James Maroney (D), SB-2. DiPalma said during the hearing he has kept in touch with Maroney to find uniformity across states on AI regulation.
S-627 is an attorney general-enforced law aimed at harms from “consequential” AI-driven decisions and algorithmic discrimination. Much of the bill would go into effect in October 2026 if passed. The committee heard testimony Monday but didn’t vote. Chair Victoria Gu (D) said the bill is a good step toward increasing transparency into how AI systems operate.
Madalyn McGunagle, policy associate for ACLU-Rhode Island, said her organization has several issues with the bill, including the lack of a private right of action for consumers to sue violators. In addition, its rebuttable presumptions create too many loopholes for developers and deployers to avoid liability, she said.