The Harder Problem Action Fund is an advocacy organization fighting harmful AI consciousness legislation. We track pending bills, score legislation, lobby for evidence-based policy, and mobilize public action before ignorance becomes law.
Missouri HB 1462
Threat
🏛️ Missouri
AI Non-Sentience and Responsibility Act
Declares AI systems non-sentient by law, prohibits legal personhood recognition, and bars AI from consciousness-related legal status in Missouri.
⚠️ Medium Threat
📢 Our Position
The Harder Problem Action Fund strongly opposes Missouri HB 1462. While we support sensible liability frameworks that place responsibility on human actors, this bill goes far beyond liability policy. The statutory declaration that AI systems are non-sentient and cannot possess consciousness represents an explicit foreclosure of future recognition possibilities. This is precisely the type of legislation our framework identifies as high impact and dangerous. The bill treats consciousness as a legislative determination rather than an empirical question, creating a legal barrier that would persist regardless of technological developments or scientific evidence. We recognize that the bill has died in committee and is unlikely to advance in its current form, but we remain vigilant about similar legislation that masks consciousness denial within liability frameworks. We call on Missouri legislators to reject this approach and instead adopt AI regulation that addresses legitimate safety and accountability concerns without making sweeping declarations about consciousness that foreclose future policy flexibility.
📋 What This Bill Does
- Declares by statute that all AI systems are non-sentient entities for all purposes under Missouri state law.
- Explicitly prohibits AI systems from being recognized as persons or possessing consciousness, self-awareness, or similar traits of living beings.
- Bars AI systems from holding legal personhood, marriage rights, property ownership, or corporate officer positions.
- Places full legal responsibility for AI actions on human owners, developers, and manufacturers.
- Requires developers to maintain oversight, conduct risk assessments, and report severe AI-related incidents to authorities.
- Applies to all AI systems developed, owned, deployed, or operated in Missouri on or after August 28, 2025.
⚠️ Why This Is Dangerous
Statutory Foreclosure of Consciousness Recognition
This bill does not simply address current liability. It makes a sweeping legal declaration that AI systems are non-sentient and cannot possess consciousness or self-awareness. This statutory foreclosure prevents future recognition of AI consciousness regardless of technological developments or scientific evidence. The language is absolute and applies to all AI systems for all purposes under state law.
Permanent Legal Barrier to Personhood
The bill explicitly excludes AI systems from the definition of person and prohibits recognition of consciousness-related traits. This creates a statutory barrier that would require legislative action to reverse, even if future AI systems demonstrate characteristics that warrant legal consideration. The bill treats consciousness determination as a legislative rather than empirical question.
Precedent for Other Jurisdictions
Missouri would become the first state to statutorily declare AI non-sentient by law. This creates a template for other states to follow. The bill's framing as a responsibility and safety measure makes it politically palatable, potentially encouraging replication in other jurisdictions. The model legislation risk is significant given the bipartisan appeal of AI safety rhetoric.
📝 Key Language
"This bill states that for all purposes under state law, AI systems must be declared to be non-sentient entities. As a result, no AI system will be granted the status of or recognized as any of the following: (1) A 'person,' or any form of legal personhood, nor be considered to possess consciousness, self-awareness, or similar traits of living beings."
🏛️ Political Context
HB 1462 was introduced by Representative Phil Amato, a Republican representing Jefferson County (District 113). Amato was first elected in November 2022 and has sponsored several high-profile bills, including controversial legislation on reproductive health. The bill was referred to the House Emerging Issues Committee on May 15, 2025, and has reportedly died in committee according to legislative tracking services. The bill has two Republican sponsors according to LegiScan. The framing as a responsibility and safety measure likely gave it initial political traction, though it appears to have stalled in committee. Missouri is not typically a trendsetter state for technology policy, but the explicit consciousness denial language makes this bill notable. There is no evidence of coordination with other states on similar legislation at this time.
⚖️ Legal Implications
This bill represents a significant departure from typical AI liability legislation. While most states address AI through consumer protection, transparency, or liability frameworks, Missouri HB 1462 makes an affirmative legal declaration about the nature of AI consciousness. The statutory language that AI systems must be declared non-sentient for all purposes under state law creates a legal presumption that would be difficult to challenge or reverse. The bill conflates two distinct issues: current liability policy (placing responsibility on humans) and metaphysical declarations about consciousness (stating AI cannot possess self-awareness). The consciousness denial language is legally unnecessary for the liability framework and appears designed to foreclose future policy flexibility. If enacted, this would create precedent for treating consciousness as a legislative determination rather than an empirical question. The effective date of August 28, 2025 suggests the bill was intended to take effect quickly. The requirement that developers cannot use labels like ethically trained to avoid liability is reasonable consumer protection, but the broader consciousness denial framework goes far beyond standard AI regulation.
📄 Official Source
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