MA H495: Reducing emissions from artificial intelligence

In one paragraph

Massachusetts' H 495 would add a new Chapter 93M to the General Laws. Search-engine operators with more than $10 million in revenue could not return AI-generated results unless the user gave affirmative consent. The state would study AI's environmental impacts, and companies that develop or power AI systems would have to report their annual environmental impacts or face penalties up to $20,000 a year. Referred to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies February 27, 2025; on March 5, 2026 it accompanied a study order (H 5178) and did not advance as its own bill.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

None: the bill did not pass. It would have required AI search-engine operators over $10 million in revenue to get user consent, and AI developers to report environmental impacts annually or face fines up to $20,000 a year.

Key provisions

1. 1Would define covered entities as operators of a search engine with an AI or generative AI service whose average annual gross revenues exceeded $10,000,000 in the past 3 calendar years
2. 2Not later than 18 months after the effective date, a covered entity could not operate a search engine that automatically returns AI results unless the user gave affirmative consent
3. 3The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security would recognize centralized consent mechanisms that present the choice before an AI result is produced, for each search query
4. 4Not later than 18 months after enactment, the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs would complete and publish a study of AI's environmental impacts, including energy, water use, data centers and hardware
5. 5Reporting entities (companies that develop or operate AI systems, or own sources of greenhouse gas emissions that power them in Massachusetts, excluding those with average annual gross revenues of $10,000,000 or less) would have to report annually their carbon emissions, water use, waste and pollution, and any offsetting efforts; reports would be public
6. 6A reporting entity that fails to report would face a penalty up to $20,000 for each year it fails to submit
7. 7History: referred to the committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies February 27, 2025; hearing September 25, 2025; accompanied a study order (H 5178) March 5, 2026

Latest legislative action

Mar 5, 2026. Accompanied a study order, see H5178

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