New York · Assembly Bill · 2025–2026 Regular Sessions
AB6656
New York Assembly Bill 6656 — An Act to amend the general business law, in relation to responsible capability scaling policies

Status ● Introduced Effective N/A Passage Likelihood L

WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 2 REQUIREMENT TYPES

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority
The Attorney General, in consultation with the Chief Information Officer, has power to audit responsible capability scaling policies filed by covered entities. No private right of action is created. Enforcement is agency-initiated through the audit power. The Chief Information Officer may issue waivers or designate categories of entities that are covered or exempt.
Private Right of Action
No private right of action. Enforcement is exclusive to the designated authority.
Penalties
The bill does not specify monetary penalties, statutory damages, injunctive relief, or any other remedies. Enforcement is limited to the Attorney General's audit power; no penalty schedule is established.

What This Bill Requires

Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.

Statutory Text
Analysis & Obligations
Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)
Definitions

(1)(a)–(c) "Artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence"Artificial intelligence" shall mean any set of computer programming instructions for the purpose of creating technology that performs its own decision making.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(a)" shall mean any set of computer programming instructions for the purpose of creating technology that performs its own decision making. (b) "Chief information officerChief information officer"Chief information officer" shall mean the individual or office established pursuant to executive order no. 117 issued on January twenty-eighth, two thousand two by Governor Pataki, or any successor individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute, or an individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute to regulate artificial intelligence. Such term may also be used to refer to the office of the "chief cyber officer" appointed by the governor.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(b)" shall mean the individual or office established pursuant to executive order no. 117 issued on January twenty-eighth, two thousand two by Governor Pataki, or any successor individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute, or an individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute to regulate artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence"Artificial intelligence" shall mean any set of computer programming instructions for the purpose of creating technology that performs its own decision making.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(a). Such term may also be used to refer to the office of the "chief cyber officer" appointed by the governor. (c) "Responsible capability scaling policyResponsible capability scaling policy"Responsible capability scaling policy" shall mean a set of best practices that identify, monitor, and rectify or mitigate risk of harm.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(c)" shall mean a set of best practices that identify, monitor, and rectify or mitigate risk of harm.

Subdivision 1 establishes the three defined terms that frame the bill's obligations: artificial intelligence, chief information officer, and responsible capability scaling policy. The AI definition is notably broad, encompassing any computer programming instructions that create technology performing its own decision making, which could extend well beyond machine learning systems to traditional rule-based automation.

Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(2)
Policy development, annual certification, waivers, and audit authority
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(2)(a) 1 Every person, firm, partnership, association or corporation doing business or offering products to consumers in New York state shall develop a responsible capability scaling policyResponsible capability scaling policy"Responsible capability scaling policy" shall mean a set of best practices that identify, monitor, and rectify or mitigate risk of harm.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(c) for the use and development of artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence"Artificial intelligence" shall mean any set of computer programming instructions for the purpose of creating technology that performs its own decision making.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(a) by such entity.

(2)(b) 2 Each such entity shall file an annual certification of compliance with this section with the chief information officerChief information officer"Chief information officer" shall mean the individual or office established pursuant to executive order no. 117 issued on January twenty-eighth, two thousand two by Governor Pataki, or any successor individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute, or an individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute to regulate artificial intelligence. Such term may also be used to refer to the office of the "chief cyber officer" appointed by the governor.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(b).

(2)(c) The chief information officerChief information officer"Chief information officer" shall mean the individual or office established pursuant to executive order no. 117 issued on January twenty-eighth, two thousand two by Governor Pataki, or any successor individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute, or an individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute to regulate artificial intelligence. Such term may also be used to refer to the office of the "chief cyber officer" appointed by the governor.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(b) may issue waivers or designate categories of entities that are covered or exempt from the requirements of this section. Such information shall be available on the secretary of state's website.

(2)(d) The attorney general, in consultation with the chief information officerChief information officer"Chief information officer" shall mean the individual or office established pursuant to executive order no. 117 issued on January twenty-eighth, two thousand two by Governor Pataki, or any successor individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute, or an individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute to regulate artificial intelligence. Such term may also be used to refer to the office of the "chief cyber officer" appointed by the governor.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(b), shall have the power to audit the policies filed by entities under this section.

Subdivision 2 imposes the bill's core obligations. Paragraph (a) requires every entity doing business or offering products to consumers in New York to develop a responsible capability scaling policy for its use and development of AI. Paragraph (b) requires annual certification of compliance filed with the CIO. Paragraph (c) grants the CIO waiver and categorical exemption authority. Paragraph (d) grants the Attorney General, in consultation with the CIO, audit power over filed policies.

The covered-entity scope is extraordinarily broad — any person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation doing business or offering products to consumers in the state — with no size, revenue, or AI-activity threshold. Practical scope will depend heavily on the CIO's rulemaking and waiver authority under subdivision 4.

Compliance actions 2 items
1
Every person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation doing business or offering products to consumers in New York must develop a responsible capability scaling policyResponsible capability scaling policy"Responsible capability scaling policy" shall mean a set of best practices that identify, monitor, and rectify or mitigate risk of harm.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(c) for the use and development of artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence"Artificial intelligence" shall mean any set of computer programming instructions for the purpose of creating technology that performs its own decision making.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(a) by that entity. The policy must be a set of best practices that identify, monitor, and rectify or mitigate risk of harm.
S-01.5
2
Every covered entity must file an annual certification of compliance with the responsible capability scaling policyResponsible capability scaling policy"Responsible capability scaling policy" shall mean a set of best practices that identify, monitor, and rectify or mitigate risk of harm.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(c) requirements with the Chief Information OfficerChief information officer"Chief information officer" shall mean the individual or office established pursuant to executive order no. 117 issued on January twenty-eighth, two thousand two by Governor Pataki, or any successor individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute, or an individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute to regulate artificial intelligence. Such term may also be used to refer to the office of the "chief cyber officer" appointed by the governor.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(b).
R-02.4
Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(3)
Joint filing with Department of Financial Services
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(3) 3 If an entity also has to file any certification of cybersecurity compliance with the department of financial services, such filings shall be done jointly.

Subdivision 3 addresses entities that are also subject to cybersecurity compliance certification requirements administered by the Department of Financial Services (such as those under 23 NYCRR Part 500). Such entities must file their AI scaling policy certification jointly with their cybersecurity filings. This is a procedural coordination requirement rather than a substantive new obligation.

Compliance actions 1 item
3
Entities that are also required to file cybersecurity compliance certifications with the Department of Financial Services must file their responsible capability scaling policyResponsible capability scaling policy"Responsible capability scaling policy" shall mean a set of best practices that identify, monitor, and rectify or mitigate risk of harm.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(c) certification jointly with those cybersecurity filings.
Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(4)
Rulemaking authority

(4) The chief information officerChief information officer"Chief information officer" shall mean the individual or office established pursuant to executive order no. 117 issued on January twenty-eighth, two thousand two by Governor Pataki, or any successor individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute, or an individual or office designated by the governor or provided for in statute to regulate artificial intelligence. Such term may also be used to refer to the office of the "chief cyber officer" appointed by the governor.Gen. Bus. Law § 390-f(1)(b) shall promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this section.

Subdivision 4 delegates rulemaking authority to the Chief Information Officer to promulgate rules and regulations implementing the bill's provisions. This is a standard delegation clause that creates no direct compliance obligation on regulated entities, though the resulting rules will define the practical scope and specifics of the policy development and certification requirements.

NY AB 6656 § 2
Effective date

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.

Section 2 provides that the act takes effect on the ninetieth day after becoming law, with immediate authority to begin rulemaking necessary for timely implementation.

Passage Likelihood

Low
Status Introduced
Chamber No passage
Committee No action
Majority party Yes
Bipartisan No
Prior session None

Legislative History

2025-03-06 referred to consumer affairs and protection
2026-01-07 referred to consumer affairs and protection

Entry Last Reviewed

2026-05-20
AI generated