Illinois lawmakers passed SB 315, the nation's strongest AI safety law, requiring major firms to submit safety plans and report incidents within 72 hours. The bill, passed on Wednesday, would mandate that the largest AI firms submit public safety plans and annual reports summarizing third-party safety testing results. Companies would also have to report critical safety incidents to the state within 72 hours, or within 24 hours if there's an imminent risk of death or serious harm. Employees would have a clear avenue to report safety risks with protections under state whistleblower laws. Governor J.B. Pritzker confirmed his intent to sign the bill, stating that Illinois is leading the nation in holding Big Tech accountable. "I look forward to signing SB 315 and working with the legislature so that AI, when used, is used responsibly," Pritzker said. Leading AI firms supported the law, with OpenAI and Anthropic backing SB 315. OpenAI's chief of global affairs Chris Lehane told Wired that the firm is pushing for similar laws in other states to avoid a patchwork of regulations. Anthropic's head of state and local government relations, Cesar Fernandez, told NBC News that the law's requirements mirror safety testing protocols already voluntarily used by leading AI firms. However, he described the law as important for establishing a "baseline that every leading AI developer is expected to meet." Scott Wisor of the Secure AI Project told Wired that without the law, "we’re in a situation where the AI companies grade their own homework." The law would likely rely on the Big Four accounting firms—Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC—to audit safety practices. This could frustrate Trump, who has tried to stop states from implementing AI safety laws as Congress stalls. Once signed, the law's provisions would take effect on January 1, 2027. While there's no private right of action, violations could lead to civil penalties. Steve Wimmer of the Transparency Coalition, who worked on the law's language, called it "one of the most important pieces of legislation in 2026." Democratic Rep. Daniel Didech, who sponsored the bill in the Illinois House, said the legislation is designed to put up guardrails to protect against catastrophic risks. "The states shouldn’t be doing this," Didech said. "The best way to regulate these types of catastrophic risks would be a federal approach." But he acknowledged that states had no choice but to step in as Congress delayed action. Illinois Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, a co-sponsor, said the law aims to put "minimal guardrails in place" to ensure AI can be a "powerful tool for good." She argued that the law creates a "roadmap for responsible innovation to prevent catastrophic risks" rather than an obstacle to AI growth. Didech agreed, suggesting the law could become a "testing ground" for AI governance that could influence federal policy. *Source: [arstechnica](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/trump-loses-more-control-over-ai-regulation-as-illinois-passes-landmark-law/)*