This bill directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to write rules requiring certain companies to perform ongoing impact assessments of automated decision systems and "augmented critical decision processes". It defines those systems and what counts as a covered entity, sets size and data thresholds for coverage, and lists types of "critical decisions" (for example: education, employment, utilities, family planning, finance, healthcare, housing, and legal services). Covered entities must keep assessment documentation, submit an initial summary report before deploying a new system, and submit annual summary reports. The FTC must create a publicly accessible, machine-readable repository with a limited subset of summary information and publish an annual report summarizing trends. The FTC must consult with NIST, OSTP, and others when making rules. The bill also creates a Bureau of Technology inside the FTC, calls for a Chief Technologist, authorizes hiring (including at least 50 Bureau staff and 25 additional enforcement staff), and allows enforcement by the FTC and state attorneys general.
If you are a consumer: the bill requires companies that meet the law's thresholds and use automated systems for important decisions to document and report how those systems perform and how they may affect people. The FTC will publish a searchable public repository with limited information from those reports. If you work for or run a company: the law sets tests for whether you are a "covered entity" and, if so, requires impact assessments, recordkeeping, initial and annual summary reports, stakeholder consultation, and possible mitigation steps for material negative impacts. Companies that sell systems to covered entities must disclose whether they are covered entities when relevant. If you are a researcher or advocate: the FTC's repository and annual reports are intended to provide aggregated data and trends to study automated decision systems.
No publicly available information on total expected costs. The bill authorizes appropriations to carry out its requirements but does not set dollar amounts. It requires the FTC to create and maintain a public repository, conduct rulemaking, and staff a new Bureau of Technology with at least 50 personnel and add 25 enforcement staff, which implies funding and staffing needs but provides no cost estimates.
The bill was introduced by Senators Ron Wyden, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Martin Heinrich, Ben Luján, Jeff Merkley, Mazie Hirono, and Brian Schatz. The text directs the FTC to require impact assessments, summary reporting, a public repository, and agency staffing. Supporters in the text seek to have companies evaluate and document how automated decision systems affect consumers in important areas and to make limited summary information available to inform consumers, researchers, and regulators.
No publicly available information.