The Guam Legislature on Nov. 25 voted to place Bill 64-38 COR — which creates a Guam Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Task Force — on the voting file after adopting a series of committee and floor amendments intended to strengthen transparency, anti-bias protections and administrative support.

The bill’s sponsor (identified in the transcript as Senator (S4)) said the task force would bring together government, private industry, academia, health care and public-safety experts to recommend a territorial strategy for ethical, transparent and accountable use of AI in government and the private sector. “This bill is about our people, their privacy, their safety, their opportunities, and their future,” the sponsor said on the floor.

Key floor changes adopted included language to explicitly charge the task force with reviewing territorial and federal grants related to AI and cybersecurity; clarifying administrative support roles and budgetary relationships; adding the Guam Economic Development Authority (GEDA) administrator (or designee) as a voting member; and several provisions expanding anti-discrimination and accountability duties. The Legislature accepted supplemental testimony from GEDA indicating it could allocate $25,000 to support the task force’s administrative functions and to pursue grants.

Sen. Sabrina Salas Mantonani (S9) and other senators offered amendments to expand the bill’s anti-bias language and require standards for transparency, auditability and regular public reporting so automated decision systems do not perpetuate inequities. One floor amendment also directed the task force to create mechanisms for oversight, compliance and enforcement, including meaningful human review and due process for individuals adversely affected by AI-driven determinations.

Supporters from multiple caucuses emphasized the bill’s balanced approach: preserving public oversight while allowing expert participation and protecting innovation. Lawmakers also directed that the task force’s meetings comply with open government laws, with limited exceptions for cybersecurity or national-security matters.

The body ordered the bill as amended onto the voting file (third reading) and scheduled further proceedings after the lunch recess. The bill, as amended, will return for a recorded vote and possible final passage at the Legislature’s next scheduled floor action.

What’s next: Bill 64-38 COR, as amended, was placed on the voting file for third reading; members can expect the bill to be called for a recorded vote when the Legislature reconvenes its voting session.