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LAST ACTION SEP 23, 2026  UPDATED OCT 5
S. 5471SENATE BILL · 119TH CONGRESS119THCOMMERCE

AI Systems Transparency Act

Requires covered AI developers and system operators to publish information about safety, privacy, testing and model performance.

WHERE IT STANDS

In the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee since Sept. 23, 2026, 15 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.

  1. INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 23, 2026
  2. COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
  3. SENATESENATE—
  4. HOUSEHOUSE—
  5. LAWLAW—
Read the text
WHAT IT DOES

What the bill would do, and why it matters

BASED ON THE TEXT AS INTRODUCED
tl;drWRITTEN OCT 4 FROM THE TEXT AS INTRODUCED

People may not know how an AI system was tested, what it can do, or how it handles their data. The bill would require covered AI developers and system operators to publish information about safety, privacy, testing, performance, and system use. It would give the FTC a role in deciding which systems are covered and enforcing the disclosure rules.

  • INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
  • DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
WHAT IT WOULD DO · 5 PROVISIONSINTRODUCED IN SENATE
  1. Require developers to publish AI disclosures

    Developers of covered generative AI models would publish two versions of information: a clear disclosure for consumers and a more detailed one for independent researchers. Topics include data practices, safety measures, testing results, model capabilities and limitations, and changes between model versions.

  2. Set disclosure rules for system operators

    The FTC, consulting with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, would set disclosure requirements for covered deployers of AI systems. The rules would be tailored to deployers and their systems, using requirements for developers as a guide.

  3. Let the FTC designate risky AI systems

    The FTC would set criteria for identifying models or deployments likely to reach the user thresholds in the bill, and for designating a model or system as covered because it poses a significant safety risk. Before most designations take effect, the FTC would give the developer or deployer written notice and at least 30 days to respond; an imminent-risk designation could take effect immediately, with a later opportunity to respond.

  4. Cover substantial model modifiers

    The FTC would set rules requiring entities that significantly change a covered model’s behavior or capabilities to publish information about it. The Commission could tailor which disclosures apply to those entities.

  5. Enforce disclosures through the FTC

    Violations of the disclosure requirements would be treated as violations of FTC rules against unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The FTC would enforce the law using its existing powers under the Federal Trade Commission Act.

THE CONTEXT

The bill focuses on whether the public can understand how covered AI models are tested, what data practices they use, and what safeguards they have for minors and other vulnerable users. Its disclosures could give consumers and researchers more information to assess those systems, while limits on revealing trade secrets and sensitive security details recognize that some information could itself create risks.

Written from the bill text.

KEY DATES
150 DAYS AFTER ENACTMENT
FTC issues model-versioning guidance and coverage designation rules
150 DAYS AFTER ENACTMENT
FTC sets initial developer disclosure rules
WITHIN 90 DAYS AFTER THE FTC ISSUES MODEL-VERSIONING GUIDANCE
Developers disclose recent covered models
WITHIN 1 YEAR AFTER ENACTMENT
FTC sets rules for substantial modifiers
TEXT VERSIONS
  1. ISIntroduced in SenateSEP 23, 20263,611
THE JOURNEY

The path it took, step by step

FROM THE OFFICIAL ACTIONS ON CONGRESS.GOV
  1. IntroducedSEP 23, 2026
    SENATE
    SEP 23, 2026
    By Sen. Coons with 3 original cosponsors
    Referred to Commerce, Science, and Transportation
  2. SAME DAYNOW
    Senate committeeSEP 23, 2026
    COMMERCE, SCIENCE, & TRANSPORTATION NOW
    SEP 23, 2026
    In committee for 15 days
    No hearing yet
  3. 15 DAYS SO FAR
    Passed the Senate—
    SENATE FLOOR
    —
    Not scheduled
  4. House committee—
    HOUSE
    —
  5. Passed the House—
    HOUSE FLOOR
    —
    Not scheduled
  6. Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDED
    BOTH CHAMBERS
    ONLY IF NEEDED
    Skipped if the other chamber passes the same text
  7. Signed into law—
    PRESIDENT
    —
    10 days to sign or veto
KEY ACTIONS2 OF 2 · PROCEDURAL STEPS FOLDED
  1. SEP 232026SEP 23, 2026REFERREDRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  2. SEP 232026SEP 23, 2026INTRODUCEDSENATEIntroduced in Senate
HOW LONG LAWS TAKE119 LAWS THIS CONGRESS

At day 15, this bill is already older than 4% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.

DAYS FROM INTRODUCTION TO SIGNING · ○ CEREMONIAL
YOUR MEMBERS

Where your members stand on it

WHO’S BEHIND IT · 3 COSPONSORS

A coalition from 3 states

PARTY MIX
2 REPUBLICANS1 DEMOCRAT

Plus the sponsor, a Democrat. The smaller side has 1 member.

COSPONSORS BY STATEEACH BAR IS ONE OF THE STATE’S TWO SENATORS
AK
ME
VT
NH
WA
ID
MT
ND
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
RI
MA
OR
NV
WY
SD
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
CA
UT
CO
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
AZ
NM
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
DEMOCRATDEMREPUBLICANREPINDEPENDENTINDSPONSORNOT A COSPONSORNONE
PARTY MIX
2 REPUBLICANS1 DEMOCRAT

Plus the sponsor, a Democrat. The smaller side has 1 member.

MOMENTUM
SEP 2026 · 3 ORIGINALNOW · 3

Sen. Coons’s record: sponsored 66 bills this Congress. 8 passed the Senate; 1 became law.

EVERY COSPONSOR · IN THE ORDER THEY JOINED3 ACTIVE
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