Illinois Enacts AI Safety Measures Act Requiring Audits and Transparency

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 315, the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act, into law on July 6. The legislation obliges large AI developers—those with more than $500 million in annual revenue—to create transparency frameworks, report harmful incidents within 72 hours (24 hours for imminent threats), and submit yearly third‑party safety audits, the first such requirement in the United States. Penalties for non‑compliance include civil fines up to $1 million for a first offense and $3 million for subsequent violations.

The law targets AI‑driven catastrophic risks, defined as events that could kill or seriously injure more than 50 people or cause over $1 million in property damage. It also mandates safety incident reporting, disclosure guidelines, whistleblower protections, and civil penalties for violations. State Rep. Maura Hirschauer and Rep. Daniel Didech highlighted prior AI‑inspired mass‑shooting and utility‑attack incidents as justification. Modeled after similar statutes in California and New York, Illinois’ bill covers roughly 40 % of the U.S. AI market and is set to take effect on Jan 1 2028, aiming to set a national standard ahead of federal action.