Oregon Governor Established AI Procurement Rules

Governor Tina Kotek issued an executive order to mandate safety standards for state government AI use.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Isometric editorial illustration featuring geometric server towers standing among simplified evergreen trees, representing state-level AI procurement policy. — Oregon Governor Tina Kotek issued Executive Order 26-26 to establish new responsible AI procurement standards for all state government agencies. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should states implement their own AI safety regulations when federal oversight is absent?

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has issued Executive Order 26-26 to implement new responsible artificial intelligence procurement standards. The policy seeks to fill gaps left by a lack of federal regulation regarding the safety and oversight of frontier AI models.

Why it matters

The order addresses growing concerns over artificial intelligence safety by requiring the state to assess security measures like kill switches for frontier models. It serves as a regulatory push to ensure technology used by Oregon government agencies remains transparent and human-accountable.

The mandate requires the State Chief Information Officer to submit an implementation proposal within 90 days. Additionally, the Governor must reassess the ongoing necessity of the executive order every three months.

The players

Tina Kotek

Tina Kotek is the current Governor of Oregon who oversees state policy and executive actions.

State Chief Information Officer

The State Chief Information Officer is the official responsible for directing statewide technology strategy and digital infrastructure implementation.

The details

Under the new directive, state agencies must integrate third-party review criteria into their procurement processes to identify potential risks. Officials are also tasked with evaluating the feasibility of mandatory kill switches for advanced AI systems to prevent uncontrolled operations.

Governor Kotek issued the executive order on September 23, 2026.
The Chief Information Officer must submit an implementation proposal by December 22, 2026.
The Governor will perform a mandatory reassessment of the order every three months.

Roadmap

Oregon's action mirrors global legislative trends toward establishing rigid oversight for frontier AI models within the public sector. By implementing these controls, the state is positioning itself to mitigate risks that have yet to be addressed at the federal level in the United States.

This policy ensures that the artificial intelligence systems utilized by state agencies undergo rigorous safety and transparency checks before deployment. Residents can expect these measures to reduce the risks associated with automated government decision-making processes.

The takeaway

This executive order highlights the proactive role states are taking to manage the safety of rapidly evolving frontier AI models. Readers should remain aware that these regulations focus specifically on government procurement, setting a benchmark for how public data is handled.

What happens next

The State Chief Information Officer is required to submit a comprehensive implementation proposal for the AI procurement criteria to the Governor by December 22, 2026.