Governor Kathy Hochul has signed the RAISE Act, making New York the second U.S. state to enact major AI safety legislation. State lawmakers originally passed the bill in June, but after lobbying from the tech industry, Governor Hochul proposed changes to scale it back. According to reports, Hochul ultimately agreed to sign the original version, with lawmakers agreeing to incorporate her requested changes next year.
The new law will require large AI developers to publish information about their safety protocols and report any safety incidents to the state within 72 hours. It also establishes a new office within the Department of Financial Services to monitor AI development. Companies that fail to submit required safety reports or make false statements can face fines of up to one million dollars, with penalties increasing to three million dollars for subsequent violations.
In her announcement, Governor Hochul referenced similar legislation signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in September. She stated that this law builds on California’s framework, creating a unified benchmark among leading tech states while the federal government lags behind on common-sense regulations.
State Senator Andrew Gounardes, one of the bill’s sponsors, celebrated the signing, asserting that despite efforts by big tech to weaken the legislation, they passed the strongest AI safety law in the country.
Both OpenAI and Anthropic have expressed support for New York’s bill while also calling for federal legislation. A representative from Anthropic noted that the action by two of the largest states highlights the critical importance of AI safety and should inspire Congress to act.
Not all industry reactions have been supportive. A super PAC backed by Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman is reportedly looking to challenge Assemblyman Alex Bores, who co-sponsored the bill. This follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that directs federal agencies to challenge state AI laws. The order, backed by Trump’s AI advisor David Sacks, is seen as an attempt to curtail state regulation of AI and is expected to face legal challenges.