AI Legislation Tracker for Libraries

Last updated: January 28, 2026

AI legislation is moving fast. This is not a comprehensive tracker. This is the laws that actually require action from libraries, with timelines, what they mean for your library, and what you need to do.

Bookmark this. Check it quarterly. Most of these laws have compliance dates 12-18 months after enactment, so timelines are tight.

Laws That Require Action Now

These have compliance dates in 2026 or are already in effect. Start planning now.

Law	Jurisdiction	Due Date	Library Impact	Action Required
EU AI Act In Effect	European Union	August 2026	High-risk systems (automated patron decisions, content recommendation, accessibility tools) need impact assessments, testing, documentation. Affects all vendors selling to EU libraries.	Audit discovery systems and recommendation engines for "high-risk" classification Request vendor compliance statements and impact assessment documentation For EU libraries: establish AI governance framework by August 2026 Document AI use in patron-facing systems
Colorado AI Act (SB 24-205) Enacted	Colorado	June 30, 2026	Medium-High. Applies to AI systems that could impact consumer access or education. Requires testing for bias, impact assessments, and opt-out mechanisms. Most library discovery systems don\'t fall into scope unless they\'re actively making decisions about material access.	Identify all AI systems your library uses (include vendor systems) Determine which meet the "high-risk" definition (affects education, employment, housing, credit, legal access) Request impact assessments from vendors Document testing procedures and bias audit results by June 2026
California CCPA (as amended) In Effect	California	Ongoing	Medium. Patron data is "personal information." If your library shares patron data with vendors, analytics providers, or anyone else, you need consumer rights protections. Recent amendments require disclosure of AI use in data processing.	Audit all data sharing agreements (ILS, analytics, email, booklists) Update privacy policy to disclose AI systems processing patron data Implement opt-out mechanisms for non-essential data sharing Document which vendors use AI in data processing
NYC Local Law 144 (Automated Employment Decision Tools) In Effect	New York City	In effect since July 2023	Low-Medium. Applies to automated employment decision tools used in hiring/promotion. Most library systems don't fall into scope unless your library is using AI for hiring or staff scheduling decisions.	If using any AI for hiring or scheduling: conduct annual bias audit Document testing and mitigation measures For NYC libraries with HR systems: notify employees and candidates of AI use

Coming in 2026-2027

These laws are enacted or in progress. Watch these timelines closely.

Law	Jurisdiction	Likely Date	Library Impact	Start Watching
Connecticut AI Training Data Disclosure (Public Act 25-113) Enacted	Connecticut	July 1, 2026	Low-Medium. Amends the Connecticut Data Privacy Act to require disclosure of AI training data use. The broader comprehensive AI bill (SB 2) did not pass. This narrower law affects vendors who use Connecticut consumer data for AI training.	Ask vendors if they use patron data for AI training Review vendor data processing agreements for CT compliance language Update privacy policies to disclose vendor AI data practices
Washington State AI Legislation (multiple bills pending) Pending	Washington	TBD (2026-2027)	Low. Several AI transparency and regulation bills are in progress (including SB 5984 on AI companion chatbots, HB 1168 on GenAI transparency). No comprehensive AI law has been enacted yet. Watch for developments.	Monitor Washington state legislative session for AI bills Document all AI systems used by the library (good practice regardless) Include vendor AI systems in any future disclosure
Illinois Deepfake Laws (HB 4623 and related) Enacted	Illinois	In effect	Low. Covers synthetic video/audio ("deepfakes") in election and non-consensual intimate imagery contexts. Only relevant if your library is using AI to generate video content or is concerned about deepfakes in collections/materials.	If creating AI video content: implement disclosure/labeling Update content policies for synthetic media

Watch These (Likely Coming)

Not yet law, but likely to pass in 2026 or affect libraries indirectly through vendor compliance.

What to Watch	Why It Matters	Timeline
Federal AI Regulation (various proposals)	Multiple bills in Congress covering AI transparency, algorithmic accountability, and government use. If passed, would establish national baseline.	2026 midterms may shift Congressional priorities; the current administration has signaled interest in preempting state AI laws rather than adding federal requirements
Section 508 Amendment (accessibility + AI)	If passed, would require AI-powered accessibility tools (captions, transcripts, text-to-speech) to meet strict accuracy standards. Affects libraries providing accessible materials.	Proposed 2026-2027
State Copyright Laws (AI Training)	Several states considering laws on AI training on copyrighted works. Could affect library content, digital collections, and what vendors can do with library data.	2026 state legislative sessions
Vendor Liability Laws	Some states proposing laws making vendors liable for AI harms. Could drive stronger data protection requirements and insurance obligations.	Ongoing; watch 2026 bills

How to Stay Current

Don't rely on this page for everything. Use these resources to track bills as they emerge:

Essential Trackers

Orrick AI Law Center

Interactive map of state AI laws (160+ as of early 2026). Filter by state or scope. Best for staying current on new laws.

NCSL AI Legislation

National Conference of State Legislatures. Official source for state bills. Check quarterly.

MultiState AI Legislation

Tracks all 50 states. Good snapshot of what's moving in your state legislature.

What this page is: Laws that actually require action from libraries. Not every AI bill that passes is relevant to libraries. This page focuses on the ones where compliance is mandatory, not aspirational.

What this page isn't: Legal advice. Talk to your city attorney or a library law consultant about your specific situation. Compliance requirements vary by library type, funding source, and location.

Law Firm & Legal Trackers

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

State-by-state snapshot. Interactive map. Good for drilling into specific state bills.

US States

Steptoe AI Legislative Tracker

Federal and state bills. Updated as bills emerge.

Federal + State

White & Case AI Watch

Global tracker. Includes US state and federal developments.

Global

Nonprofit & Government Trackers

IAPP State AI Governance Tracker

Privacy-focused tracking from International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Privacy

Future of Privacy Forum

Analysis and tracking of state approaches. Good context for understanding patterns.

Analysis

Transparency Coalition

Interactive map of 2026 bills as they're introduced.

2026 Bills

My AI Coverage for Libraries

I've written specifically about how these laws affect library operations:

The EU AI Act and Libraries - What it means for your vendor relationships and compliance timeline
Colorado AI Act and Libraries - How the first comprehensive US AI law affects your systems
Vendor Contract AI Clauses - Red flags to look for when negotiating vendor contracts
AI-Era Privacy Policy Fixes - Specific policy language updates for patron data protection

The actual reality: Most library directors aren't tracking this. You now are. That puts you ahead. Print these tables, send them to your IT director and legal advisor. Ask them which laws apply to your library. Then set a calendar reminder to check this page every quarter.