Commerce Department and FTC issue state AI law evaluations and policy statements

On March 11, 2026, the Commerce Department published its evaluation of state AI laws identifying those deemed "onerous" and in conflict with federal AI policy, while the Federal Trade Commission issued a policy statement explaining when state laws requiring AI bias mitigation are preempted by the FTC Act. Both deliverables were triggered by Trump's December 11, 2025 executive order and feed into the DOJ's AI Litigation Task Force, established January 9, 2026 under Attorney General Pam Bondi, which is now authorized to sue specific states over their AI laws. The executive order also gives Commerce authority to condition $42 billion in BEAD broadband grants on states repealing AI laws deemed onerous.