TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Advocates pushing Florida’s proposed AI “Bill of Rights” are not giving up after lawmakers failed to pass the measure during last week’s special session.
The DeSantis-backed proposal cleared the Senate but stalled in the House, where Speaker Danny Perez said the chamber would not take up the bill and argued artificial intelligence policy should be handled at the federal level.
WATCH: Advocates push Florida lawmakers to revive AI regulations after House blocks bill
Now, supporters are looking to two expected special sessions later this year as possible openings to revive the measure — one on the state budget and another on property taxes.
For parents like Jennifer Mitchell, the push is personal.
“The only thing I can say is a loss of a child is, like, a parent’s worst nightmare,” Mitchell said. “It’s something I wish on no one.”
Mitchell’s son, Ian, died after exposure to what she describes as harmful social media influence. He recorded himself playing Russian roulette. Mitchell is now suing Meta, arguing tech companies have failed to police themselves — and warning artificial intelligence could deepen those risks.
“We are the product in the end,” Mitchell said. “They’re making money off of us, so their goal is just to make money. They don’t care about our safety.”
Mitchell was in Tallahassee last week, urging lawmakers to approve the AI Bill of Rights. The proposal includes protections aimed at children, parents, privacy and the misuse of a person’s name, image or likeness.
But the House blocked the measure during the special session, choosing instead to focus on congressional redistricting.
Perez said he understood concerns about protecting children but believed the issue should be handled nationally, aligning the House with President Donald Trump’s push for federal action on AI.
“He then proposed legislation to Congress at the hopes that Congress is going to be able to address this issue on a federal level, and that is our expectation, and I expect that to happen soon,” Perez said at the start of the special session, last week.
DeSantis and Senate supporters have argued Florida should not wait on Washington.
“You think Congress is going to actually do — first of all, big tech won’t let Congress do anything, because they obviously want to monetize this as much as possible,” DeSantis said while discussing the proposal in March.
The bill could still have another path this year, but that path is narrow.
Lawmakers are expected back in Tallahassee next week for a budget special session, but the call does not currently include artificial intelligence. Another special session on property taxes is expected later, though it has not yet been scheduled.
That has left supporters pressing Perez and House leadership to reconsider. Outside groups, parents and victims’ families are calling for lawmakers to act before more children are harmed.
“My message to lawmakers when it comes to the AI Bill of Rights: it’s time to act,” Mitchell said. “It’s time to protect our future.”
Florida will also have new legislative leadership next year. Incoming House Speaker Sam Garrison has said that if the federal government does not act, the state may have to.
For now, the AI bill is stalled — but advocates are trying to make sure it is not finished.
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