MON AM News: Lawmakers urged to be aware of AI use, potential for abuse; Baldwin introduces bill aimed at fighting animal disease

August 12, 2024

— Lawmakers may soon begin drafting legislation aimed at implementing or restricting the use of artificial intelligence, say attendees of the National Conference of State Legislatures’ annual summit.

The burgeoning technology was a major focus of this year’s conference last week in Louisville, which featured nearly a dozen AI-focused sessions. Lawmakers from statehouses across the country learned about cybersecurity, election interference, workforce development and other topics.

After one session, an informal poll showed 87% of attendees felt their state laws were not adequate to deter the threat AI could pose to elections.

NCSL Associate Director Ben Williams said in an interview that there have been hundreds of AI-related bills introduced in recent years — and lawmakers are hungry to learn more.

“This is something legislators know is a really important issue going into the coming years, and it’s not going to go away,” he said. “It’s only going to grow in importance, and so they told us to try to put more information up about AI, and we’re trying to deliver as best we can.”

The conference’s focus was clear from the beginning when the NCSL booked Jennifer Pahlka, the founder of Code for America, as the opening speaker.

Pahlka suggested thinking about AI as if it’s an intern.

“You may have some fantastic interns, but you’re always going to have a more senior staff member look over anything that your interns might write and make sure that it is correct and make sure that it is consistent with you and your values and what you’re trying to do for the people that you serve,” she said. “And I think AI, especially generative AI, can be a great tool for all the things that you’re doing.”

See the full story at WisBusiness.com.

— U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin has introduced a bill to expand government agency coordination to fight the spread of disease among livestock and wildlife, amid an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows.

The Madison Dem recently announced the Wildlife-Agriculture Disease Prevention Act of 2024, which aims to improve communication between federal and state agencies as well as tribal entities to “facilitate more comprehensive and effective responses” to diseases originating in animals.

It would also create a wildlife-agriculture disease coordinator position within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish and oversee relationships between animal and human health agencies, help states and tribes to apply for related funding, coordinate between states, report to Congress on relevant efforts and more.

Baldwin’s release notes three out of every four new or emerging infectious diseases in humans come from animals, and references the first reported cow-to-human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza from March. It highlights the “significant economic toll” of HPAI, as the 2022 bird flu outbreak had a $3 billion impact.

“We need to work together, at every level, to respond to these diseases and prevent further outbreaks,” Baldwin said in a statement. “My legislation will ensure that our federal agencies, states, and tribes have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.”

The bill is backed by the Wisconsin Farmers Union, Wisconsin Game Preserve Association, Wisconsin Pork Producers Association, Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association, and UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.

WFU President Darin Von Ruden says the new ag-wildlife disease coordinator’s role would be “vital for effectively and efficiently securing both the commercial food supply and the health of animals and humans during outbreaks.”

See the release.

— Froedtert ThedaCare Health is installing the health system’s first geothermal energy system as it continues construction on its Fond du Lac campus, slated for completion in 2025.

Jenny Nikolai, vice president of new community hospitals in Fond du Lac and Oshkosh, says campus construction is “proceeding nicely” since starting in February. She notes demand for care continues to grow in the area, where both city and county populations have grown over the past decade.

“Our goal for this campus is to enhance access to local care for those living in the area, and we look forward to opening this campus in the Fond du Lac community in the near future,” she said.

As part of the $35 million health care campus, construction crews this week were finishing the geothermal system, which includes 50 geothermal bores going 500 feet into the ground. The system’s heat pumps use the natural heat of the planet to control building temperatures.

Andy DeRocher, geothermal design engineer for architecture firm HGA, notes the technology is “energy efficient and cost effective.”

“Geothermal technology helps the environment because it is an alternative to natural gas and results in fewer carbon emissions being released into the atmosphere,” he said in a release.

See a graphic showing the geothermal system, and find more details in the release.

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— The head of the state Department of Veterans Affairs is applauding the “bipartisan support and goodwill” around the Wisconsin Veterans Museum after state officials approved buying the building where it’s located.

The Wisconsin Building Commission last week approved spending $9 million to purchase the building on the Capitol Square in Madison, part of the DVA’s plan to build a new museum facility.

“The museum is an exemplary steward of history, collecting and maintaining the artifacts and stories of those who wore the uniform while educating visitors on the importance of service and sacrifice,” WDVA Secretary James Bond said in the release. “The new museum will secure our veteran’s legacy for future generations.”

Originally built in 1948, the existing building can currently only display about 3% of its collection, according to the release. The agency envisions a larger, more modern space for storing and displaying its military history memorobilia.

WVM Foundation President Dan Checki says the group wll need to raise additional private dollars to support the new museum construction project.

— Startup accelerator gener8tor has named Lauren Usher as the group’s latest partner, after she led one of its early-stage gBETA chapters and the Investment Accelerators program.

Since she joined the Madison-based organization in 2019, her work has “only grown in scope” as gener8tor has grown from a team of several dozen people mostly in the Midwest to having 120 employees in 47 communities in three countries, according to the release.

See the release.

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