Illinois Passes AI Safety Law with Broader Mandates Than Other States Illinois is emerging as a key battleground over who sets the rules for powerful AI systems, as the state moves ahead with a sweeping safety law while federal efforts have stalled.

On May 28, the Illinois legislature passed SB 315, billed as the nation’s strongest AI safety law, just days after President Donald Trump abruptly canceled a federal plan that would have allowed Washington to vet frontier AI models over fears it might “hobble innovation.” The state bill requires the largest AI firms to submit public safety plans and annual reports summarizing the results of independent, third-party safety testing of their frontier models.

Governor J.B. Pritzker quickly signaled he would sign the measure, framing it as a bid to curb the power of major technology firms. He said “Illinois is leading the nation in holding Big Tech accountable” and that he looks forward to working with lawmakers “so that AI, when used, is used responsibly.” A separate account of the bill noted that Illinois is close to enacting an AI safety law “with broader mandates than other states’,” including New York and California, while also mirroring some of their protections.

The law’s requirements go beyond simple disclosure. Companies must report any critical safety incidents to the state within 72 hours—or within 24 hours if there is potentially “an imminent risk of death or serious physical harm.” Employees who raise alarms will be shielded by state whistleblower laws, giving them a “clear avenue for reporting emerging safety risks that companies may be tempted to downplay.”

Major AI developers have lined up behind the bill. OpenAI’s chief of global affairs, Chris Lehane, told Wired the company is pushing similar legislation in other states to avoid a patchwork of sharply different rules. Anthropic’s state and local government lead, Cesar Fernandez, told NBC News that SB 315 largely reflects safety testing practices top firms already follow but is important for setting a “baseline that every leading AI developer is expected to meet.”

Supporters say that baseline is precisely what’s missing at the federal level, where the White House has pulled back from direct model oversight. Critics, however, warn that a state-led approach could entrench the largest companies, which can easily absorb compliance costs that might be far more burdensome for smaller competitors.

At the same time, policy analysts note that Illinois’ broader mandates—independent audits and stronger worker protections—could become a template other states choose to copy or adapt, potentially shifting the center of gravity for AI regulation away from Washington and toward assertive state capitals like Springfield.

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