President Trump On December 11, 2025 signed an Executive Order (EO) to clamp down on “excessive” state artificial intelligence (AI) regulations.
The order, Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence, says that, “To win, United States AI companies must be free to innovate without cumbersome regulation. But excessive State regulation thwarts this imperative.”
The order states that the administration “must act with the Congress to ensure that there is a minimally burdensome national standard–not 50 discordant State ones.”
The EO also directs the creation of a new AI Litigation Task Force to challenge state AI laws that fail the administration’s “minimally burdensome” test and directs an evaluation of state AI laws. In addition, the EO directs the Secretary of Commerce to link states’ use of remaining Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program nondeployment funding to this evaluation of AI state laws. States with AI laws that run counter to the White House’s AI goals will be ineligible for these funds.
LeadingAge, during the consideration of HR 1 and other efforts, has opposed legislation that inhibits the right of states to act to protect their citizens in the absence of Congress establishing federal AI laws and regulations governing the use of AI.
LeadingAge also believes that federal regulation is essential. While we acknowledge the challenges to AI businesses complying with myriad state regulations, we disagree that the solution is to block State lawmakers from enacting their own protective guardrails and requirements.
LeadingAge also supports state retention of BEAD “nondeployment” funds, which are specifically threatened by the EO. Separate from the BEAD funds used to deploy internet connectivity itself, nondeployment funds can be used by states for digital literacy training, internet affordability subsidies, hiring digital navigators, and supporting telehealth.
Read the EO here.
