GUEST COMMENTARY MENTARY
Since the prospect of data centers is of great concern to the members of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, I was delighted to learn what Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed for the state of Florida.
We would definitely support such an initiative for the state of Texas. We are especially supportive of the measures below related to consumer protections for data centers.
Gov. DeSantis announced a proposal to protect consumers by establishing an Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights for citizens. Additionally, he announced a proposal to protect Floridians from footing the bill for hyperscale AI data centers and to empower local governments to reject their development in their communities.
“I (have) proposed new legislation on artificial intelligence and AI data centers to protect Floridians’ privacy, security and quality of life,” DeSantis said. “Our AI proposal will establish an Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights to define and safeguard Floridians’ rights — including data privacy, parental controls, consumer protections and restrictions on AI use of an individual’s name, image or likeness without consent.”
The Artificial Intelligence proposal will establish an “AI Bill of Rights” to provide consumers with protections.
• Reenact protections the state has already passed against “deep fakes” and explicit material, including those depicting minors.
• Prohibit any state or local government agency from utilizing DeepSeek or any other Chinese-created AI tools to protect American data.
• Prohibit AI from using an individual’s name, image, likeness (NIL) without their consent — tie it to harm or sale of a product (political ads, schemes to defraud already in law).
• Require a notice to consumers when interacting with AI (company chatbots).
• Prohibit entities from providing “licensed” therapy or mental health counseling through artificial intelligence. This can be expanded to include use of AI to imitate a licensed professional.
• Provide parental controls for minors which will allow parents to access the conversation their child has with a large language model, set parameters for when the child can access the platform and notify parents if their child exhibits concerning behavior.
• Ensure data inputted to AI is secure and private.
• Prohibit companies from selling or sharing personal identifying information with third parties (deidentified) and mirror data privacy protections in current law.
• Limit insurance companies from using AI for insurance claims. It will require that AI cannot be used as the sole determination in adjusting or denying a claim. Insurers that use AI for claims must detail the use and allow the Office of Insurance Regulation to inspect the AI model to ensure it does not violate unfair insurance trade practices.
The state’s data centers proposal will protect consumers from footing the bill for AI data centers. The proposal will:
• Protect ratepayers: Prohibits utilities from charging state residents more to support hyperscale data center development, including electric, gas and water utilities.
• Protect taxpayers: No taxpayer subsidies for Big Tech.
• Protect local control: Allows local government to prohibit data center construction/development.
• Protect water resources: Ensures that water resources are not utilized to the detriment of the public.
• Protect natural land: Prevents the construction, siting or operation of a data center by foreign principals or on land classified as agricultural and/or lands under a greenbelt exemption, and require setbacks and vegetative buffers. Requires noise abatement reviews to protect natural state land from noise pollution.
Annalisa Peace is executive director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance.
Comment
Comments