WashingtonWashington law requires AI media labels and agency notices
Starting February 1, 2027, large AI providers must attach origin information to covered media when reasonable, and agencies must tell consumers when they interact with AI.
What it does
Large providers must attach information showing when their AI creates or significantly changes audio, images, or video, when doing so is reasonable. Minor edits and some products and uses are excluded.
Agencies must tell consumers before or when they interact with an AI system, even if the interaction seems obvious. The clear, plain-language notice may link to another webpage.
Argument forAttached origin information and agency notices could help people recognize AI-made media and know when they are interacting with an AI system.
Argument againstProviders may need extra technical work to attach origin information and make it hard to remove, even though the law requires reasonable methods.
More detail
Covered providers must include information showing whether their AI created or significantly changed covered media. This applies to providers of publicly available generative AI systems with more than 1 million monthly users in Washington. State, local, and tribal governments are excluded from this provider definition. Providers must include the information only when doing so is commercially and technically reasonable. They must use commercially and technically reasonable methods to make the information hard to remove or tamper with. Using a commonly supported watermarking or metadata standard counts as compliant. The information need not identify a person. Minor edits that do not significantly change how the content looks or sounds, such as cropping or removing background noise, do not count as significant changes. The chapter does not cover business-to-business uses or sales, video games or interactive shopping experiences, or systems used only for upscaling, noise reduction, or compression. The law takes effect February 1, 2027.
Government agencies must tell consumers when they are interacting with an AI system. This applies when a government agency makes available an AI system meant to interact with consumers. The notice must be clear, easy to see, and written in plain language. It cannot use a dark pattern, or design that steers people without making that choice clear. An agency may use a link to a separate webpage for the notice. It must give notice even if a reasonable consumer would know they are interacting with AI. The law takes effect February 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 24Effective date 2/1/2027.Latest
- Mar 24Chapter 167, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 24Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 11President signed.Major
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#1). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11Speaker signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 11Passed final passage; yeas, 55; nays, 38; absent, 0; excused, 5.Passed House
- Mar 11House concurred in Senate amendments.
- Mar 4Third reading, passed; yeas, 46; nays, 3; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#28). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 4Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 4Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.
- Mar 3Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Mar 2Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Mar 2Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Mar 2WM - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Mar 2Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 27Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 2:30 PM.
- Feb 25Referred to Ways & Means.Minor
- Feb 24Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Feb 24And refer to Ways & Means.Minor
- Feb 24ENET - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Feb 24Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 20Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 17First reading, referred to Environment, Energy & Technology.Minor
- Feb 13Third reading, passed; yeas, 56; nays, 37; absent, 0; excused, 5.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#9). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 13Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 13Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- Feb 132nd substitute bill substituted (TEDV 26).Major
- Feb 10Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Feb 4Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 2Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Feb 2APP - Majority; do pass 2nd substitute bill proposed by Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans.Minor
- Feb 2Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 4:00 PM.
- Jan 26Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 4:00 PM.
- Jan 20Referred to Appropriations.Minor
- Jan 16Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Jan 16TEDV - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Jan 16Executive action taken in the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 14Public hearing in the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans at 8:00 AM.
- Jan 12Referred to Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans.Minor
- Jan 12Rules Committee relieved of further consideration.
- Jan 12By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- 2025
- Jan 31Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Jan 28Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Jan 28TEDV - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Jan 28Executive action taken in the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 17Public hearing in the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 13First reading, referred to Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans.Minor
- Jan 6Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
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