The Illinois Senate voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to advance a bill that would regulate how large Artificial Intelligence model developers handle transparency and catastrophic risk. Senate Bill 315 is part of an eight-bill package and is modeled after similar legislation in New York and California as lawmakers seek to establish a de facto national standard. Announced on May 13, the bill would require large developers like Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic to adopt a transparency framework, employ third-party auditors and report a model’s catastrophic risk capabilities. It passed the Senate 52-5.
State Sen. Mary Edly-Allen’s bill is functionally the same as California’s and New York’s laws, which both passed in late 2025. It would require large developers with revenues over ?mn to create, publish and adhere to a transparency framework explaining how the company applies industry standards, measures model capabilities and chance of catastrophic risk, and identifies and responds to safety incidents. The move comes as President Donald Trump recently floated the possibility of a second Artificial Intelligence-related executive order directing developers on how to report powerful models to federal officials, after previously discouraging states from regulating the sector.
Supporters framed the measure as a limited but necessary safeguard for rapidly advancing systems. According to testimony from Secure AI policy director Scott Wisor, three leading frontier Artificial Intelligence companies have reported in their own safety evaluations that their models could provide meaningful assistance in building a biological weapon. Anthropic’s Mythos, for example, is so powerful the company said it could not release it to the public. OpenAI and Anthropic testified in support, arguing that rules focused on the most capable models could protect consumers without stifling smaller companies.
The bill’s third-party audit requirement became the main point of contention. Startup advocates and industry groups argued the audits could be costly and impose subjective compliance judgments without established national standards. Senate Republican Leader John Curran questioned whether the bill originally made clear who could serve as an auditor. Amendments added this week clarify who is allowed to give third-party audits, what the audit should include and protocols for protecting proprietary information. The amendments also extend the effective deadline from 2027 to 2028, add new transparency requirements, require large frontier developers to file disclosure statements and pay fees, and clarify that no civil liability is created.
Opponents also said the definition of frontier models could sweep in more companies over time as the technology spreads and compute thresholds remain relevant to smaller developers. The ?mn revenue threshold may become less meaningful as Artificial Intelligence becomes more widespread. Wisor said model capabilities double every four months, underscoring how quickly the policy debate could shift. Advocates of regulation described SB315 as only a first step, with the larger question being whether modest accountability rules become a foundation for stronger governance or a permanent ceiling.
