TL;DR: June 30, 2026 was the deadline Colorado's original AI law would have hit -- except it was repealed in May. As of today, 7 state-level AI laws are in force. Connecticut's broader SB 5 takes effect October 1. No federal law has preempted state AI regulation yet, despite a White House push. Here is the complete status table.
Why today is a milestone
June 30, 2026 was the date Colorado's Artificial Intelligence Act (SB 24-205) was scheduled to take effect. It would have been the first comprehensive US state AI law -- affecting any company using AI to make consequential decisions for Colorado residents.
It was repealed before it ever took effect.
On May 14, 2026, Governor Jared Polis signed SB 26-189, which repealed SB 24-205 and replaced it with a narrower automated decision-making technology (ADMT) statute effective January 1, 2027. The switch came after sustained pressure from the White House and industry groups arguing the original law was too broad.
That repeal-and-replace is the defining event of the 2026 state AI law landscape: ambitious legislation gets trimmed, delayed, or replaced when federal pressure and industry lobbying converge. Colorado is not alone.
Complete US state AI law status table (June 30, 2026)
| State | Law | Status | In Force Since | What It Covers | Federal Preemption Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC | Local Law 144 | In force | July 5, 2023 | Bias audits for automated employment decision tools | Low -- city ordinance, outside federal preemption argument |
| Utah | SB 149 (AI Policy Act) | In force | May 1, 2024 | Generative AI disclosure on request; high-risk use cases | Moderate |
| Tennessee | ELVIS Act | In force | July 1, 2024 | AI-generated likeness of performers; voice/image rights | Low -- IP-adjacent, not tech regulation |
| Colorado | SB 26-189 (ADMT) | Not yet effective | January 1, 2027 | Automated decisions with material consequences; notice, appeal, human review rights | Moderate -- original law already trimmed under federal pressure |
| Colorado | SB 24-205 (original AI Act) | REPEALED | Never took effect | Was: comprehensive AI governance | N/A |
| Texas | TRAIGA / HB 149 | In force | January 1, 2026 | Prohibits intentional AI discrimination; bans social scoring and CSAM deepfakes; AG enforcement only | Moderate |
| Illinois | HB 3773 (AI hiring disclosure) | In force | January 1, 2026 | Employers must notify employees and applicants when AI is used in employment decisions | Low -- employment law frame, not tech regulation |
| California | SB 942 (AI Transparency Act) | In force | January 1, 2026 | AI-generated content labeling requirements for large platforms | Moderate |
| California | SB 1047 | VETOED | Never enacted | Was: frontier AI safety requirements | N/A |
| Connecticut | SB 4 (CTDPA amendment) | In force | July 1, 2026 | Consumer data privacy threshold dropped 100k to 35k; data broker registration $2,500 fee | Low -- data privacy, established framework |
| Connecticut | SB 5 (CT AI Act) | Effective Oct 1 2026+ | Staggered from Oct 1, 2026 | AI disclosure, frontier model whistleblowers, automated employment decisions, synthetic content | Moderate |
| New Jersey | No binding AI law | Pending | -- | A3854/A3855 (AI employment) active in 2024 session; no enacted law as of June 2026 | N/A |
| Washington | SB 5116 | Signed May 2025 | Varies by provision | Synthetic media disclosure; government AI use requirements | Low |
| Illinois | SB 315 (Frontier AI Safety) | Enrolled, not signed | If signed: January 1, 2027 | Large frontier AI developer safety frameworks; annual third-party audits | High -- directly analogous to laws the White House EO targeted |
The federal preemption fight: where things stand
The Trump administration's December 11, 2025 executive order took direct aim at state AI laws. It specifically named Colorado's original law as an example of legislation that would "force AI models to produce false results." The order:
- Created a DOJ AI Litigation Task Force with authority to challenge state laws in federal court
- Directed the Commerce Department to publish a review of "overly burdensome" state AI laws by March 11, 2026
- Ordered the development of legislative recommendations for a federal AI framework that would preempt conflicting state laws
As of June 30, 2026, no lawsuits from the AI Litigation Task Force have been filed against any state AI law. No federal AI statute has passed Congress. The Commerce Department review was due in March but has not resulted in any enforcement action.
What the executive order has done is create legislative chilling effects. Colorado's repeal-and-replace is the clearest example. Several states that had ambitious AI bills in 2025 legislative sessions significantly trimmed them before passage.
For compliance purposes: State AI laws remain fully enforceable unless a court issues a specific injunction. "The federal government might preempt this eventually" is not a compliance defense. Comply with currently effective laws.
State-specific compliance priorities for small teams
Immediate (already in force):
- NYC Local Law 144: If you use AI tools that screen, rank, or score job candidates in NYC, you must conduct an annual bias audit and post a notice. The AEDT definition is broad enough to include many commercial ATS products with AI features.
- Texas TRAIGA: If your AI system is used in Texas and makes decisions affecting protected classes, document your development process and intent. No private right of action -- only the AG can enforce -- but the AG has taken an aggressive posture on tech regulation.
- Illinois HB 3773: If you use AI in any employment decision-making in Illinois (screening, promotion, termination), issue written notice to employees and applicants before using the tool. No specific audit requirement, just disclosure.
- Connecticut CTDPA (SB 4): Data privacy threshold is now 35,000 consumers (down from 100,000). If you serve Connecticut consumers and process their data, your CTDPA obligations may have just triggered.
Coming soon:
- Connecticut SB 5 (October 1, 2026): Employers using automated employment decision tools in Connecticut need to prepare disclosure notices, establish bias audit processes, and review synthetic content policies. 93 days from today.
- Colorado SB 26-189 (January 1, 2027): If AI makes consequential decisions about Colorado residents (employment, housing, lending, education, healthcare), you need pre-decision notices, explanation processes, and human review procedures in place. 185 days.
- Illinois SB 315: Not yet signed, but if enacted, large frontier AI developers would face substantial new obligations in Illinois starting 2027.
Multi-state compliance strategy for small teams
If your team operates across multiple states, duplicating compliance programs per state is not practical. The approach that works:
- Identify your highest-obligation state -- usually the one with the most specific requirements. Connecticut SB 5 and Colorado SB 26-189 are the most detailed as of late 2026.
- Build to the highest standard -- a disclosure notice that satisfies Connecticut SB 5's automated employment decision requirements will also satisfy Illinois HB 3773's simpler notice requirement.
- Document AI use systematically -- every state law that requires disclosure, audit, or explanation starts with knowing which AI tools you use and what decisions they touch.
- Watch the federal preemption story -- if Congress passes a federal AI law, it may preempt some state requirements. But it may also preempt state laws you wanted to have (like strong privacy floors). Monitor but don't wait.
For a framework-level strategy across all these laws, see the multi-state AI compliance strategy guide. For details on the state bias audit requirements that apply in NYC and how they compare to Colorado SB 26-189's requirements, see multi-state AI bias audit requirements.
Related Reading
- Colorado SB 26-189 AI Law Employer Compliance Guide
- Connecticut SB 5 AI Employer Checklist: 10 Steps Before October 1, 2026
- Texas TRAIGA Compliance Checklist 2026
- Illinois AI Employment Disclosure Law 2026
- Multi-State AI Compliance Strategy 2026
- Multi-State AI Bias Audit Requirements 2026
- One Big Beautiful Bill AI Preemption: Senate Voted 99-1 Against It
- State AI Law Private Right of Action Comparison 2026
