NY State Senate Bill 2025-S8451

Current Bill Status - Passed Senate & Assembly

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 05, 2026	returned to senate passed assembly ordered to third reading rules cal.572 substituted for a8962b
Jun 04, 2026	referred to consumer affairs and protection delivered to assembly passed senate
Jun 03, 2026	ordered to third reading cal.1635 committee discharged and committed to rules
Jun 01, 2026	print number 8451b
Jun 01, 2026	amend and recommit to internet and technology
May 28, 2026	print number 8451a
May 28, 2026	amend (t) and recommit to internet and technology
Jan 07, 2026	referred to internet and technology
Jul 07, 2025	referred to rules

Votes

- Jun 4, 2026 - Floor Vote
  S8451
  
  Aye
  
  53
  
  Nay
  
  7
  
  Absent
  
  1
  
  Excused
  
  2
  
  Abstained
  
  0
  - - Floor Vote: Jun 4, 2026
      
      aye (53)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Ashby
      
      Bailey
      
      Baskin
      
      Bottcher
      
      Brisport
      
      Brouk
      
      Bynoe
      
      Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick
      
      Chan
      
      Cleare
      
      Comrie
      
      Fahy
      
      Fernandez
      
      Gallivan
      
      Gianaris
      
      Gonzalez
      
      Gounardes
      
      Griffo
      
      Harckham
      
      Helming
      
      Hinchey
      
      Jackson
      
      Kavanagh
      
      Krueger
      
      Lanza
      
      Liu
      
      Martinez
      
      Martins
      
      May
      
      Mayer
      
      Myrie
      
      O'Mara
      
      Oberacker
      
      Ortt
      
      Palumbo
      
      Persaud
      
      Ramos
      
      Rhoads
      
      Rivera
      
      Rolison
      
      Ryan
      
      Salazar
      
      Sanders Jr.
      
      Scarcella-Spanton
      
      Sepúlveda
      
      Serrano
      
      Skoufis
      
      Stavisky
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      Tedisco
      
      Webb
      
      Zellner
      
      nay (7)
      
      Borrello
      
      Mattera
      
      Murray
      
      Stec
      
      Walczyk
      
      Weber
      
      Weik
      
      absent (1)
      
      Parker
      
      excused (2)
      
      Cooney
      
      Sutton
      
      The following Member(s) participated via videoconferencing: Krueger Brouk

Bill Amendments

Original

B (Active)

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2025-S8451 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8962
Law Section:: General Business Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 48 §§1800 - 1803, Gen Bus L

2025-S8451 - Summary

Enacts the "New York fundamental artificial intelligence requirements in (FAIR) news act"; provides transparency requirements for news media content composed, authored, or otherwise created through generative AI.

2025-S8451 - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8451

SPONSOR: FAHY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general business law and the civil rights law, in
relation to enacting the "New York fundamental artificial intelligence
requirements in (FAIR) news act"

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would to establish clear, meaningful protections for both
journalists and the broader public to ensure that the integrity of the
news and its workforce are safeguarded.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Short title. This act shall be known and be cited as the "New
York Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Requirements in News Act" or
the "FAIR news act").

Section 2: This section creates a new Article 42-A of the General Busi-

ness Law, regarding Artificial Intelligence in News Media GBL § 1150
would state the legislative intent. GBL § 1151 would articulate key
definitions.

GBL § 1152 would require news media employers to fully disclose to work-
ers when and how any generative AI tool is used in the workplace as it
relates to the creation of content, which includes a description of the
AI system and a summary of the purpose and use of such system.

GBL § 1153 would require conspicuous disclosure when news media content
was substantially created by generative AI. If the content is eligible
for copyright registration, this does not apply.

GBL § 1154 would require that any news media content created in whole or
in material part by generative AI must be reviewed by a human worker who
has editorial authority before such content may be published with the
disclosure noted above.

GBL § 1155 would require consent and an opportunity to bargain over
renumeration before training a generative AI system on a worker's work
product. It also prohibits the diminishment of existing rights of
employees pursuant to a CBA, or the replacement of workers by generative
AI.

Section 3: This section amends Civil Rights Law § 79-h (Special
provisions relating to persons employed by, or connected with, news
media) to add a new subdivision (h) requiring employers of professional
journalists and newscasters to establish safeguards to protect journal-
istic sources and confidential materials, gathered through location
tracking, surveillance or any other means, which can be accessed by any
AI technology.

Section 4: Severability clause. Section 5: Effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:


New York is the center of the American news industry, and journalists
are a key part of the state's workforce. The State likewise has a strong
interest in the health and preservation of journalism.  With the rapid
advancement of artificial intelligence technology, generative AI can
quickly generate articles, summaries, news scripts, audio/visual, and
other media content that may seem professionally done to a lay observer.
However, there is ample evidence that this product often contains false
or misleading content, and generative AI plagiarizes by deriving its
content from original source material without permission or proper cita-
tion.

Given this context, there is an urgent need to prevent news companies
from using AI at the expense of journalists and to the disservice of the
general public which relies on the news for accurate information about
the world. This bill seeks to establish clear, meaningful protections
for both journalists and the public to ensure that the integrity of the
news and its workforce are safeguarded.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become a law.

2025-S8451 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8451
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               July 7, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  FAHY  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law and the civil  rights  law,  in
   relation to enacting the "New York fundamental artificial intelligence
   requirements in (FAIR) news act"

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "New York fundamental artificial intelligence requirements in (FAIR)
 news act".
   §  2. The general business law is amended by adding a new article 42-a
 to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 42-A
                   ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN NEWS MEDIA
 SECTION 1150. LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
         1151. DEFINITIONS.
         1152. DISCLOSURE TO NEWS MEDIA WORKERS.
         1153. DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMERS.
         1154. OVERSIGHT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS.
         1155. WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS.
   § 1150. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. THE LEGISLATURE HEREBY FINDS THAT:
   1. NEW YORK IS THE CENTER OF THE AMERICAN NEWS INDUSTRY  AND  JOURNAL-
 ISTS ARE A KEY PART OF THE STATE'S WORKFORCE.
   2.  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE CAN QUICKLY GENERATE ARTICLES, SUMMARIES,
 NEWS SCRIPTS, AUDIO/VISUAL AND OTHER MEDIA CONTENT THAT MAY SEEM PROFES-
 SIONALLY DONE TO A LAY OBSERVER. HOWEVER, THERE IS AMPLE  EVIDENCE  THAT
 CONTENT  CREATED  BY  GENERATIVE  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE: (A) CONTAINS
 FALSE OR MISLEADING CONTENT; AND (B) PLAGIARIZES BY DERIVING ITS CONTENT
 FROM ORIGINAL SOURCE MATERIAL WITHOUT  PERMISSION  OR  PROPER  CITATION.
 THESE FAILURES ARE A DISSERVICE TO THE PUBLIC WHO RELIES ON THE NEWS FOR
 ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORLD.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13419-01-5

 S. 8451                             2
 
   3.  AS  SUCH, THE GOVERNMENT HAS A STRONG INTEREST IN THE PRESERVATION
 OF HUMAN NEWS WORK. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO  PREVENT  NEWS  COMPANIES
 FROM  USING  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE AT THE EXPENSE OF BOTH THE BROADER
 PUBLIC AND OF NEWS WORKERS, INCLUDING  HUMAN  REPORTERS,  EDITORS,  NEWS
 WRITERS, DIRECTORS, PRODUCERS, VOICE ACTORS, GRAPHIC DESIGNERS AND OTHER
 NEWSROOM PROFESSIONALS.
   4.  IT  IS THEREFORE THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE TO ESTABLISH CLEAR,
 MEANINGFUL PROTECTIONS FOR BOTH JOURNALISTS AND THE  BROADER  PUBLIC  TO
 ENSURE THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE NEWS AND ITS WORKFORCE ARE SAFEGUARDED.
   §  1151.  DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1. "ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE", "ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY", OR
 "AI" MEANS A MACHINE-BASED SYSTEM THAT CAN, FOR A GIVEN SET OF HUMAN-DE-
 FINED OBJECTIVES, MAKE PREDICTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, OR DECISIONS INFLU-
 ENCING REAL OR VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS, AND THAT USES MACHINE-  AND  HUMAN-
 BASED  INPUTS  TO  PERCEIVE REAL AND VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS, ABSTRACT SUCH
 PERCEPTIONS INTO MODELS THROUGH ANALYSIS IN AN AUTOMATED MANNER, AND USE
 MODEL INFERENCE TO FORMULATE OPTIONS FOR INFORMATION OR ACTION.
   2. "AUTOMATED EMPLOYMENT DECISION-MAKING TOOL" SHALL MEAN ANY SOFTWARE
 THAT USES ALGORITHMS, COMPUTATIONAL MODELS, OR  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE
 TECHNIQUES,  OR A COMBINATION THEREOF, TO MATERIALLY AUTOMATE OR REPLACE
 HUMAN DECISION-MAKING REGARDING EMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 WAGES AND OTHER COMPENSATION, HIRING, SELECTION FOR RECRUITMENT,  DISCI-
 PLINE, PROMOTION, AND TERMINATION. "AUTOMATED EMPLOYMENT DECISION-MAKING
 TOOL"  SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY SOFTWARE USED PRIMARILY FOR BASIC COMPUTER-
 IZED PROCESSES, SUCH AS CALCULATORS, SPELLCHECK TOOLS, AUTOCORRECT FUNC-
 TIONS, SPREADSHEETS, ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS, OR ANY TOOL THAT RELATES
 ONLY TO INTERNAL MANAGEMENT AFFAIRS SUCH AS ORDERING OFFICE SUPPLIES  OR
 PROCESSING  PAYMENTS,  AND  THAT  DO  NOT  MATERIALLY AFFECT THE RIGHTS,
 LIBERTIES, BENEFITS, SAFETY OR WELFARE  OF  ANY  INDIVIDUAL  WITHIN  THE
 STATE.
   3.  "GENERATIVE  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE" MEANS A CLASS OF ARTIFICIAL
 INTELLIGENCE MODELS THAT ARE SELF-SUPERVISED AND EMULATE  THE  STRUCTURE
 AND CHARACTERISTICS OF INPUT DATA TO GENERATE DERIVED SYNTHETIC CONTENT,
 INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO, IMAGES, VIDEOS, AUDIO, TEXT, AND OTHER
 DIGITAL CONTENT.
   4. "NEWS MEDIA" SHALL MEAN ANY PUBLICATION OR PROGRAMMING,  REGARDLESS
 OF  THE  MEDIUM  OR METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION, THAT PROVIDES NEWS, WEATHER,
 TRAFFIC, SPORTS, OR ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS OR PROGRAMMING. THIS  INCLUDES
 BUT  IS  NOT  LIMITED  TO  NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, JOURNALS, PERIODICALS,
 WEBSITES, NEWSLETTERS, TELEVISION OR CABLE PROGRAMMING, RADIO OR PODCAST
 PROGRAMMING, AND INTERNET OR SATELLITE-BASED CONTENT.
   § 1152. DISCLOSURE TO NEWS MEDIA WORKERS. NEWS MEDIA  EMPLOYERS  SHALL
 FULLY  DISCLOSE TO WORKERS WHEN AND HOW ANY GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTEL-
 LIGENCE TOOL IS USED IN THE WORKPLACE AS IT RELATES TO THE  CREATION  OF
 CONTENT,  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO, WRITING, RECORDINGS AND TRAN-
 SCRIPTS. SUCH DISCLOSURE SHALL INCLUDE A DESCRIPTION OF  THE  ARTIFICIAL
 INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM AND A SUMMARY OF THE PURPOSE AND USE OF SUCH SYSTEM.
   §  1153.  DISCLOSURE  TO  CONSUMERS. ANY NEWS MEDIA CONTENT PUBLISHED,
 BROADCAST, OR OTHERWISE DISSEMINATED OR ACCESSIBLE WITHIN THE  STATE  OF
 NEW  YORK,  WHICH  WAS  SUBSTANTIALLY  COMPOSED,  AUTHORED, OR OTHERWISE
 CREATED THROUGH THE USE  OF  GENERATIVE  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE  SHALL
 CONSPICUOUSLY  IMPRINT  ON THE TOP OF THE PAGE, WEBPAGE, IMAGE, GRAPHIC,
 VIDEO OR OTHER VISUAL OR AUDIO/VISUAL CONTENT, OR VERBALLY ORATE AT  THE
 ONSET  OF  AUDIO CONTENT, THAT SUCH CONTENT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY CREATED BY
 S. 8451                             3
 
 GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. IF THE CONTENT IS ELIGIBLE FOR COPY-
 RIGHT REGISTRATION SUCH DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT SHALL NOT APPLY.
   §  1154.  OVERSIGHT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS. ANY NEWS MEDIA
 CONTENT, INCLUDING STORIES, ARTICLES, AUDIO, VISUALS  OR  IMAGES,  WHICH
 ARE CREATED IN WHOLE OR IN MATERIAL PART BY GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTEL-
 LIGENCE  SHALL  BE  REVIEWED  BY A HUMAN WORKER WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO
 APPROVE, DENY, OR MODIFY ANY DECISION RECOMMENDED OR MADE BY  THE  AUTO-
 MATED  SYSTEM  BEFORE  SUCH CONTENT MAY BE PUBLISHED WITH THE DISCLOSURE
 UNDER SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 1155. WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS.  1.  NEWS  MEDIA  EMPLOYERS  SHALL  NOT
 DIRECTLY OR THROUGH A THIRD PARTY AUTHORIZE THE TRAINING OF A GENERATIVE
 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM ON THE WORK PRODUCT OF A NEWS MEDIA WORK-
 ER  WITHOUT NOTICE, CONSENT AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO BARGAIN OVER APPROPRI-
 ATE REMUNERATION. A NEWS MEDIA EMPLOYER SHALL NOT PENALIZE A NEWS  MEDIA
 WORKER  FOR  DECLINING TO CONSENT TO ALLOW THEIR WORK PRODUCT TO BE USED
 TO TRAIN A GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM.
   2. (A) THE USE OF  GENERATIVE  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE  OR  AUTOMATED
 EMPLOYMENT  DECISION-MAKING  TOOLS  SHALL  NOT DIMINISH (I) THE EXISTING
 RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES PURSUANT TO AN EXISTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREE-
 MENT; OR (II) THE EXISTING REPRESENTATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG EMPLOYEE
 ORGANIZATIONS OR THE BARGAINING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE  EMPLOYER  AND
 AN EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION.
   (B)  THE  USE  OF GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS SHALL NOT
 RESULT IN: (I) DISCHARGE, DISPLACEMENT OR LOSS  OF  POSITION,  INCLUDING
 PARTIAL  DISPLACEMENT  SUCH  AS A REDUCTION IN THE HOURS OF NON-OVERTIME
 WORK, WAGES, OR EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, OR  RESULT  IN  THE  IMPAIRMENT  OF
 EXISTING  COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS; OR (II) TRANSFER OF EXISTING
 DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED BY EMPLOYEES OR WORKERS.
   § 3. Section 79-h of the civil rights law is amended by adding  a  new
 subdivision (h) to read as follows:
   (H) EMPLOYERS OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS AND NEWSCASTERS SHALL ESTAB-
 LISH SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT JOURNALISTIC SOURCES AND CONFIDENTIAL MATERI-
 ALS GATHERED THROUGH LOCATION TRACKING, SURVEILLANCE OR ANY OTHER MEANS,
 WHICH  CAN  BE  ACCESSED  BY  ANY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY, AS
 DEFINED BY SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY-ONE OF THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW.
   § 4. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
 sion or section of this act shall be adjudged by any court of  competent
 jurisdiction  to  be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair, or
 invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation
 to the clause,  sentence,  paragraph,  subdivision  or  section  thereof
 directly  involved  in the controversy in which such judgment shall have
 been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the legislature
 that this act would have been enacted even if  such  invalid  provisions
 had not been included herein.
   §  5.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2025-S8451A - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8962
Law Section:: General Business Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 48 §§1800 - 1803, Gen Bus L

2025-S8451A - Summary

2025-S8451A - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8451A

SPONSOR: FAHY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general business law, in relation to enacting the
"New York fundamental artificial intelligence requirements in (FAIR)
news act"

 
PURPOSE:  This bill would to establish clear, meaningful protections
for both journalists and the broader public to ensure that the integrity
of the news and its workforce are safeguarded.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Short title. This act shall be known and be cited as the "New
York Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Requirements in News Act" or
the "FAIR news act").

Section 2: This section creates a new Article 48 of the General Business
Law, regarding Artificial Intelligence in News Media GBL § 1800 would
state the legislative intent. GBL § 1801 would articulate key defi-

nitions.

GBL § 1802 would require conspicuous disclosure when news media content
was substantially created by generative AI. If the content is eligible
for copyright registration, this does not apply.

Section 3: Severability clause. Section 4: Effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York is the center of the American news industry, and journalists
are a key part of the state's workforce. The State likewise has a strong
interest in the health and preservation of journalism.  With the rapid
advancement of artificial intelligence technology, generative AI can
quickly generate articles, summaries, news scripts, audio/visual, and
other media content that may seem professionally done to a lay observer.
However, there is ample evidence that this product often contains false
or misleading content, and generative AI plagiarizes by deriving its
content from original source material without permission or proper cita-
tion.

Given this context, there is an urgent need to prevent news companies
from using AI at the expense of journalists and to the disservice of the
general public which relies on the news for accurate information about
the world. This bill seeks to establish clear, meaningful protections
for both journalists and the public to ensure that the integrity of the
news and its workforce are safeguarded.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become a law.

2025-S8451A - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8451--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               July 7, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. FAHY, BASKIN, FERNANDEZ, GONZALEZ, GOUNARDES, HARCK-
   HAM,  HINCHEY,  JACKSON, MAY, MAYER, PALUMBO, RAMOS, C. RYAN, SALAZAR,
   SEPULVEDA, SKOUFIS, WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed,  and  when
   printed  to  be  committed to the Committee on Rules -- recommitted to
   the Committee on Internet and Technology  in  accordance  with  Senate
   Rule  6,  sec.  8  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation  to  enacting  the
   "New  York  fundamental artificial intelligence requirements in (FAIR)
   news act"
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "New York fundamental artificial intelligence requirements in (FAIR)
 news act".
   § 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new article 48 to
 read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 48
                   ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN NEWS MEDIA
 SECTION 1800. LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
         1801. DEFINITIONS.
         1802. TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS.
   § 1800. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. THE LEGISLATURE HEREBY FINDS THAT:
   1. NEW YORK IS THE CENTER OF THE AMERICAN NEWS INDUSTRY  AND  JOURNAL-
 ISTS ARE A KEY PART OF THE STATE'S WORKFORCE.
   2.  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE CAN QUICKLY GENERATE ARTICLES, SUMMARIES,
 NEWS SCRIPTS, AUDIO/VISUAL AND OTHER MEDIA CONTENT THAT MAY SEEM PROFES-
 SIONALLY DONE TO A LAY OBSERVER. HOWEVER, THERE IS AMPLE  EVIDENCE  THAT
 CONTENT  CREATED  BY  GENERATIVE  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE: (A) CONTAINS
 FALSE OR MISLEADING CONTENT; AND (B) PLAGIARIZES BY DERIVING ITS CONTENT
 FROM ORIGINAL SOURCE MATERIAL WITHOUT  PERMISSION  OR  PROPER  CITATION.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13419-02-6

 S. 8451--A                          2
 
 THESE FAILURES ARE A DISSERVICE TO THE PUBLIC WHO RELIES ON THE NEWS FOR
 ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORLD.
   3.  AS  SUCH, THE GOVERNMENT HAS A STRONG INTEREST IN THE PRESERVATION
 OF HUMAN NEWS WORK. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO  PREVENT  NEWS  COMPANIES
 FROM  USING  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE AT THE EXPENSE OF BOTH THE BROADER
 PUBLIC AND OF NEWS WORKERS, INCLUDING  HUMAN  REPORTERS,  EDITORS,  NEWS
 WRITERS, DIRECTORS, PRODUCERS, VOICE ACTORS, GRAPHIC DESIGNERS AND OTHER
 NEWSROOM PROFESSIONALS.
   4.  IT  IS THEREFORE THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE TO ESTABLISH CLEAR,
 MEANINGFUL PROTECTIONS FOR BOTH JOURNALISTS AND THE  BROADER  PUBLIC  TO
 ENSURE THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE NEWS AND ITS WORKFORCE ARE SAFEGUARDED.
   §  1801.  DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1. "ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE", "ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY", OR
 "AI" MEANS A MACHINE-BASED SYSTEM THAT CAN, FOR A GIVEN SET OF HUMAN-DE-
 FINED OBJECTIVES, MAKE PREDICTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, OR DECISIONS INFLU-
 ENCING REAL OR VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS, AND THAT USES MACHINE-  AND  HUMAN-
 BASED  INPUTS  TO  PERCEIVE REAL AND VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS, ABSTRACT SUCH
 PERCEPTIONS INTO MODELS THROUGH ANALYSIS IN AN AUTOMATED MANNER, AND USE
 MODEL INFERENCE TO FORMULATE OPTIONS FOR INFORMATION OR ACTION.
   2. "AUTOMATED EMPLOYMENT DECISION-MAKING TOOL" SHALL MEAN ANY SOFTWARE
 THAT USES ALGORITHMS, COMPUTATIONAL MODELS, OR  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE
 TECHNIQUES,  OR A COMBINATION THEREOF, TO MATERIALLY AUTOMATE OR REPLACE
 HUMAN DECISION-MAKING REGARDING EMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 WAGES AND OTHER COMPENSATION, HIRING, SELECTION FOR RECRUITMENT,  DISCI-
 PLINE, PROMOTION, AND TERMINATION. "AUTOMATED EMPLOYMENT DECISION-MAKING
 TOOL"  SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY SOFTWARE USED PRIMARILY FOR BASIC COMPUTER-
 IZED PROCESSES, SUCH AS CALCULATORS, SPELLCHECK TOOLS, AUTOCORRECT FUNC-
 TIONS, SPREADSHEETS, ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS, OR ANY TOOL THAT RELATES
 ONLY TO INTERNAL MANAGEMENT AFFAIRS SUCH AS ORDERING OFFICE SUPPLIES  OR
 PROCESSING  PAYMENTS,  AND  THAT  DO  NOT  MATERIALLY AFFECT THE RIGHTS,
 LIBERTIES, BENEFITS, SAFETY OR WELFARE  OF  ANY  INDIVIDUAL  WITHIN  THE
 STATE.
   3.  "GENERATIVE  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE" MEANS A CLASS OF ARTIFICIAL
 INTELLIGENCE MODELS THAT ARE SELF-SUPERVISED AND EMULATE  THE  STRUCTURE
 AND CHARACTERISTICS OF INPUT DATA TO GENERATE DERIVED SYNTHETIC CONTENT,
 INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO, IMAGES, VIDEOS, AUDIO, TEXT, AND OTHER
 DIGITAL CONTENT.
   4. "NEWS MEDIA" SHALL MEAN ANY PUBLICATION OR PROGRAMMING,  REGARDLESS
 OF  THE  MEDIUM  OR METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION, THAT PROVIDES NEWS, WEATHER,
 TRAFFIC, SPORTS, OR ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS OR PROGRAMMING. THIS  INCLUDES
 BUT  IS  NOT  LIMITED  TO  NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, JOURNALS, PERIODICALS,
 WEBSITES, NEWSLETTERS, TELEVISION OR CABLE PROGRAMMING, RADIO OR PODCAST
 PROGRAMMING, AND INTERNET OR SATELLITE-BASED CONTENT.
   § 1802. TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS. ANY NEWS MEDIA  CONTENT  PUBLISHED,
 BROADCAST,  OR  OTHERWISE DISSEMINATED OR ACCESSIBLE WITHIN THE STATE OF
 NEW YORK, WHICH  WAS  SUBSTANTIALLY  COMPOSED,  AUTHORED,  OR  OTHERWISE
 CREATED  THROUGH  THE  USE  OF  GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SHALL
 CONSPICUOUSLY IMPRINT ON THE TOP OF THE PAGE, WEBPAGE,  IMAGE,  GRAPHIC,
 VIDEO  OR OTHER VISUAL OR AUDIO/VISUAL CONTENT, OR VERBALLY ORATE AT THE
 ONSET OF AUDIO CONTENT, THAT SUCH CONTENT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY  CREATED  BY
 GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. IF THE CONTENT IS ELIGIBLE FOR COPY-
 RIGHT REGISTRATION SUCH DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT SHALL NOT APPLY.
   § 3. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
 sion  or section of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent
 jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect,  impair,  or
 S. 8451--A                          3
 
 invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation
 to  the  clause,  sentence,  paragraph,  subdivision  or section thereof
 directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment  shall  have
 been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the legislature
 that  this  act  would have been enacted even if such invalid provisions
 had not been included herein.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

co-Sponsors

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2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8962
Law Section:: General Business Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 48 §§1800 - 1803, Gen Bus L

2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8451B

SPONSOR: FAHY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general business law, in relation to enacting the
"New York fundamental artificial intelligence requirements in (FAIR)
news act"

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would to establish clear, meaningful protections for both
journalists and the broader public to ensure that the integrity of the
news and its workforce are safeguarded.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Short title. This act shall be known and be cited as the "New
York Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Requirements in News Act" or
the "FAIR news act").

Section 2: This section creates a new Article 48 of the General Business

Law, regarding Artificial Intelligence in News Media

GBL § 1800 would state the legislative intent. GBL § 1801 would artic-
ulate key definitions.

GBL § 1802 would require conspicuous disclosure when news media content
was substantially created by generative AI. If the content is eligible
for copyright registration, this does not apply.

GBL § 1803 states the enforcement mechanism for the article.

Section 3: Severability clause.

Section 4: Effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York is the center of the American news industry, and journalists
are a key part of the state's workforce. The State likewise has a strong
interest in the health and preservation of journalism.

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology, gener-
ative AI can quickly generate articles, summaries, news scripts,
audio/visual, and other media content that may seem professionally done
to a lay observer. However, there is ample evidence that this product
often contains false or misleading content, and generative AI plagi-
arizes by deriving its content from original source material without
permission or proper citation.

Given this context, there is an urgent need to prevent news companies
from using AI at the expense of journalists and to the disservice of the
general public which relies on the news for accurate information about
the world. This bill seeks to establish clear, meaningful protections
for both journalists and the public to ensure that the integrity of the
news and its workforce are safeguarded.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become a law.

2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8451--B
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               July 7, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. FAHY, BASKIN, FERNANDEZ, GONZALEZ, GOUNARDES, HARCK-
   HAM,  HINCHEY,  JACKSON, MAY, MAYER, PALUMBO, RAMOS, C. RYAN, SALAZAR,
   SEPULVEDA, SKOUFIS, WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed,  and  when
   printed  to  be  committed to the Committee on Rules -- recommitted to
   the Committee on Internet and Technology  in  accordance  with  Senate
   Rule  6,  sec.  8  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said  committee  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the general business law, in relation to enacting the
   "New York fundamental artificial intelligence requirements  in  (FAIR)
   news act"
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "New York fundamental artificial intelligence requirements in (FAIR)
 news act".
   § 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new article 48 to
 read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 48
                   ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN NEWS MEDIA
 SECTION 1800. LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
         1801. DEFINITIONS.
         1802. TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS.
         1803. ENFORCEMENT.
   § 1800. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. THE LEGISLATURE HEREBY FINDS THAT:
   1.  NEW  YORK IS THE CENTER OF THE AMERICAN NEWS INDUSTRY AND JOURNAL-
 ISTS ARE A KEY PART OF THE STATE'S WORKFORCE.
   2. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CAN QUICKLY GENERATE  ARTICLES,  SUMMARIES,
 NEWS SCRIPTS, AUDIO/VISUAL AND OTHER MEDIA CONTENT THAT MAY SEEM PROFES-
 SIONALLY  DONE  TO A LAY OBSERVER. HOWEVER, THERE IS AMPLE EVIDENCE THAT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13419-03-6

 S. 8451--B                          2
 
 CONTENT CREATED BY  GENERATIVE  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE:  (A)  CONTAINS
 FALSE OR MISLEADING CONTENT; AND (B) PLAGIARIZES BY DERIVING ITS CONTENT
 FROM  ORIGINAL  SOURCE  MATERIAL  WITHOUT PERMISSION OR PROPER CITATION.
 THESE FAILURES ARE A DISSERVICE TO THE PUBLIC WHO RELIES ON THE NEWS FOR
 ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORLD.
   3.  AS  SUCH, THE GOVERNMENT HAS A STRONG INTEREST IN THE PRESERVATION
 OF HUMAN NEWS WORK. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO  PREVENT  NEWS  COMPANIES
 FROM  USING  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE AT THE EXPENSE OF BOTH THE BROADER
 PUBLIC AND OF NEWS WORKERS, INCLUDING  HUMAN  REPORTERS,  EDITORS,  NEWS
 WRITERS, DIRECTORS, PRODUCERS, VOICE ACTORS, GRAPHIC DESIGNERS AND OTHER
 NEWSROOM PROFESSIONALS.
   4.  IT  IS THEREFORE THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE TO ESTABLISH CLEAR,
 MEANINGFUL PROTECTIONS FOR BOTH JOURNALISTS AND THE  BROADER  PUBLIC  TO
 ENSURE THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE NEWS AND ITS WORKFORCE ARE SAFEGUARDED.
   §  1801.  DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1. "ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MODEL" SHALL  HAVE  THE  SAME  MEANING  AS
 DEFINED BY SECTION FOURTEEN HUNDRED TWENTY OF THIS CHAPTER.
   2.  "GENERATIVE  ARTIFICIAL  INTELLIGENCE" MEANS A CLASS OF ARTIFICIAL
 INTELLIGENCE MODELS THAT ARE SELF-SUPERVISED AND EMULATE  THE  STRUCTURE
 AND CHARACTERISTICS OF INPUT DATA TO GENERATE DERIVED SYNTHETIC CONTENT,
 INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO, IMAGES, VIDEOS, AUDIO, TEXT, AND OTHER
 DIGITAL CONTENT.
   3. "NEWS MEDIA" SHALL MEAN ANY PUBLICATION OR PROGRAMMING,  REGARDLESS
 OF  THE  MEDIUM  OR METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION, THAT PROVIDES NEWS, WEATHER,
 TRAFFIC, SPORTS, OR ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS OR PROGRAMMING. THIS  INCLUDES
 BUT  IS  NOT  LIMITED  TO  NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, JOURNALS, PERIODICALS,
 WEBSITES, NEWSLETTERS, TELEVISION OR CABLE PROGRAMMING, RADIO OR PODCAST
 PROGRAMMING, AND INTERNET OR SATELLITE-BASED CONTENT.
   § 1802. TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS. ANY NEWS MEDIA  CONTENT  PUBLISHED,
 BROADCAST,  OR  OTHERWISE DISSEMINATED OR ACCESSIBLE WITHIN THE STATE OF
 NEW YORK, WHICH  WAS  SUBSTANTIALLY  COMPOSED,  AUTHORED,  OR  OTHERWISE
 CREATED  THROUGH  THE  USE  OF  GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SHALL
 CONSPICUOUSLY IMPRINT ON THE TOP OF THE PAGE, WEBPAGE,  IMAGE,  GRAPHIC,
 VIDEO  OR OTHER VISUAL OR AUDIO/VISUAL CONTENT, OR VERBALLY ORATE AT THE
 ONSET OF AUDIO CONTENT, THAT SUCH CONTENT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY  CREATED  BY
 GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. IF THE CONTENT IS ELIGIBLE FOR COPY-
 RIGHT REGISTRATION SUCH DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT SHALL NOT APPLY.
   §  1803.  ENFORCEMENT.  1. WHENEVER THERE SHALL BE A VIOLATION OF THIS
 ARTICLE, AN APPLICATION MAY BE MADE BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE  NAME
 OF  THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE  STATE OF NEW YORK TO A COURT OR JUSTICE HAVING
 JURISDICTION BY A SPECIAL PROCEEDING TO ISSUE AN  INJUNCTION,  AND  UPON
 NOTICE  TO  THE  DEFENDANT  OF  NOT  LESS  THAN FIVE DAYS, TO ENJOIN AND
 RESTRAIN THE CONTINUANCE OF SUCH VIOLATION; AND IF IT  SHALL  APPEAR  TO
 THE  SATISFACTION  OF  THE  COURT  OR JUSTICE THAT THE DEFENDANT HAS, IN
 FACT, VIOLATED THIS ARTICLE, AN INJUNCTION MAY BE ISSUED BY  SUCH  COURT
 OR  JUSTICE,  ENJOINING  AND  RESTRAINING ANY FURTHER VIOLATION, WITHOUT
 REQUIRING PROOF THAT ANY PERSON HAS, IN FACT, BEEN  INJURED  OR  DAMAGED
 THEREBY.
   2. WHENEVER THE COURT SHALL DETERMINE THAT A VIOLATION OF THIS ARTICLE
 HAS  OCCURRED,  THE  COURT  MAY  IMPOSE  A CIVIL PENALTY OF ONE THOUSAND
 DOLLARS FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE, AND FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EACH SUBSE-
 QUENT OFFENSE. IN CONNECTION WITH ANY  SUCH  PROPOSED  APPLICATION,  THE
 ATTORNEY GENERAL IS AUTHORIZED TO TAKE PROOF AND MAKE A DETERMINATION OF
 THE  RELEVANT  FACTS AND TO ISSUE SUBPOENAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CIVIL
 PRACTICE LAW AND RULES.
 S. 8451--B                          3
 
   § 3. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
 sion or section of this act shall be adjudged by any court of  competent
 jurisdiction  to  be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair, or
 invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation
 to  the  clause,  sentence,  paragraph,  subdivision  or section thereof
 directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment  shall  have
 been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the legislature
 that  this  act  would have been enacted even if such invalid provisions
 had not been included herein.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

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2025-S8451A - Details

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2025-S8451A - Bill Text download pdf

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2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Details

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2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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co-Sponsors

2025-S8451 - Details

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2025-S8451 - Bill Text download pdf

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2025-S8451A - Details

2025-S8451A - Summary

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co-Sponsors

2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Details

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2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8451B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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