Gov. Rhoden and Colleagues Urge Congress to Remove AI Provision from One, Big, Beautiful Bill

PIERRE, S.D. - On June 27, 2025, Governor Larry Rhoden and 16 fellow governors wrote Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, urging them to strip a provision from the One, Big, Beautiful Bill that would ban state regulation of AI for the next 10 years. You can find the letter here. 

“As Republican Governors, we support the One, Big, Beautiful Bill and President Trump’s vision of American AI dominance, but we cannot support a provision that takes away states’ powers to protect our citizens,” wrote Governor Larry Rhoden and his colleagues. “We must curb AI’s worst excesses while also encouraging its growth, which is exactly what states have done through the creation of their own regulatory frameworks.” 

Governor Rhoden continues to take actions to protect South Dakotans from AI misuse, revealing the strength of smart, state-level AI regulations. These actions include signing a bill that prohibits the use of a deepfake to influence an election and banning the Chinese AI company DeepSeek, pursuant to Executive Order 2023-06. During the Noem-Rhoden administration, former Governor Noem also signed a bill that made AI-generated child pornography a crime. 

“States have led on smart regulations of the AI industry that simultaneously protect consumers while also encouraging this ever-developing and critical sector,” continued Governor Larry Rhoden and his colleagues. “AI is already deeply entrenched in American industry and society; people will be at risk until basic rules ensuring safety and fairness can go into effect...Let states function as the laboratories of democracy they were intended to be and allow state leaders to protect our people.” 

Governor Rhoden was joined in signing the letter by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Idaho Governor Brad Little, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Governor Henry Dargan McMaster, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.