A staggering 90% of Utah voters support the bill, signaling overwhelming bipartisan momentum for AI safety, accountability and transparency
Rep. Doug Fiefia has introduced H.B. 286, the Artificial Intelligence Transparency Act, for the 2026 Utah General Legislative Session to help guard against the most severe risks from advanced artificial intelligence (AI). Crafted with extensive input from AI experts and child safety groups, the bill would require the largest AI companies to be transparent about how they manage AI’s risks to children and to public safety.
While most AI companies have voluntarily committed to create safety plans to manage these risks, Utah currently does not require them to do so. H.B. 286 addresses that gap by requiring the largest AI companies to write, publish, and follow public safety and child protection plans describing how they evaluate and mitigate severe AI risks. Companies would also be required to report safety incidents and be barred from retaliating against employees who speak up when something goes wrong.
“We applaud Rep. Fiefia for having the foresight to introduce this critical legislation,” said Andrew Doris, Senior Policy Analyst at Secure AI Project. “It takes courage to take on big tech companies, but major risks from AI are already here and the time to act is now. We hope Utah’s legislature will show that transparency and accountability for AI harms are bipartisan concerns.”
“We’ve learned from social media that we can’t trust tech companies to voluntarily choose to protect our families. With families already suffering immense AI driven tragedies, we must take steps today to protect our children. We applaud Rep. Fiefia for again leading the way on common sense protections for Utahns,” said Adam Billen, VP of Public Policy at Encode AI.
H.B. 286 is designed to be flexible. It strengthens transparency and accountability without creating a new regulatory agency or imposing rigid technical rules. Instead, it requires companies to be open about their own safety procedures and helps policymakers keep pace with a rapidly moving industry.
Rep. Fiefia’s legislation comes at a time when parents, experts, and industry leaders are increasingly raising concerns about AI’s impact on children and public safety. Utah has already led on social media safety, and H.B. 286 builds on that leadership by taking proactive steps to ensure advanced AI technology is developed and deployed to serve the public interest alongside corporate and investor interests.
Utah Statewide Survey
The bill comes as Utah voters express growing concern that a lack of AI oversight could leave families exposed. A recent statewide survey found 90% of Utah voters support requiring AI developers to implement safety and security protocols to manage critical risks and protect children (including 76% who strongly support), and 71% of voters say they are more concerned that Utah will not regulate AI enough, potentially harming children and consumers. Key findings of the Utah survey are attached.
About Secure AI Project
Secure AI Project is dedicated to ensuring the benefits of artificial intelligence are realized while serious safety and security risks are responsibly managed. The organization develops and advocates for pragmatic policies to reduce risks of severe harm from advanced AI at the state and federal levels, helping build a stronger, more secure AI ecosystem.
About Encode AI
Encode is America’s leading youth voice advocating for bipartisan policies to support human-centered AI development and U.S. technological leadership. Encode has secured landmark victories in Congress, from blocking efforts to place a moratorium on all state AI legislation to passing the first-ever legislation to protect against deepfake porn. Working with lawmakers, industry leaders, and national security experts, Encode champions policies that maintain American dominance in artificial intelligence while safeguarding national security and child safety.
