D Sen. Kristen Gonzalez

The bill creates a Chief AI Officer to guide AI use across state government with ethical standards and transparency. She stressed the urgency of proactive state leadership given rapid AI evolution and federal threats to state AI enforcement authority.

Explained campaign finance reforms in Part OO, stating changes make the program easier to administer while maintaining focus on small-dollar donors. Noted that 50,000 New Yorkers donated under $250 in the last cycle, increasing small-donor participation from 5% to 45% of campaign funding.

The sponsor argued the bill provides necessary consumer protections during formal utility investigations, citing the 2021 Central Hudson case where 8,000 customers were incorrectly billed. She emphasized the PSC does not consistently use existing authority to protect consumers and that the bill only applies to significant investigations with broad consumer implications, not routine rate cases.

Introduced the bill to address New York's healthcare crisis by requiring public data on community healthcare access and establishing stressed healthcare zones. Cited multiple hospital closures including Mount Sinai Beth Israel and argued the data would help prevent closures that leave communities without access to life-saving care.

Introduced the bill two sessions ago to establish clear guardrails for AI as the technology rapidly advances. The chapter version ensures transparency in state employment decisions, provides labor protections, and creates an inventory of AI systems used in state government.