Columbus, OH – On Tuesday, The Buckeye Institute testified (see full text below or download a PDF) before the Ohio House Technology and Innovation Committee on the policies in Ohio House Bill 392, which will “help position Ohio as a national leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and data processing technology.”

In his testimony, Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, notes that House Bill 392 establishes “clear regulatory guardrails to properly balance innovation and responsible oversight of emerging technology,” and “provides regulatory certainty for the AI sector by preventing local governments from imposing a patchwork of contradictory rules that are expensive and difficult to follow.”

Highlighting Ohio’s “affordable energy sector, innovative healthcare market, and House Bill 392’s regulatory clarity” Lawson underlines that the bill’s policies should “help attract AI and technology firms, rejuvenate Ohio’s advanced manufacturing sector,” “help retain talented graduates from Ohio State, Case Western Reserve, and other universities,” and “help employ the skilled technical workforce that Ohio is actively building through its comprehensive training and development programs.” Lawson also describes the impact of AI policy on security, stating, “ceding more ground to China would be catastrophic for U.S. national security and geopolitical interests.”

Lawson closes by telling lawmakers that “House Bill 392 is a sensible regulatory approach that… will better position Ohio for tomorrow’s AI-driven economy.”

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Positioning Ohio as a National Leader in AI

Interested Party Testimony
Ohio House Technology and Innovation Committee
Ohio House Bill 392

Greg Lawson
Research Fellow
The Buckeye Institute
October 28, 2025

As Prepared for Delivery

Chair Claggett, Vice Chair Workman, Ranking Member Mohamed, and members of the Technology and Innovation Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify regarding Ohio House Bill 392.

My name is Greg R. Lawson, and I am the research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, an independent research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to advance free-market public policy in the states.

House Bill 392 will help position Ohio as a national leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and data processing technology. The legislation guarantees the right to use computers, software, and AI for lawful purposes while establishing clear regulatory guardrails to properly balance innovation and responsible oversight of emerging technology. And the bill provides regulatory certainty for the AI sector by preventing local governments from imposing a patchwork of contradictory rules that are expensive and difficult to follow.

Heavy-handed AI regulations in California and Europe have increased entrepreneurial costs and hampered American tech firms. China has taken advantage of those regulatory missteps and gained significant ground in the race for AI supremacy. Ceding more ground to China would be catastrophic for U.S. national security and geopolitical interests. Ohio and other states can help ensure America’s technological leadership by reducing regulatory barriers and adopting sensible AI safeguards.

Misguided restrictions and rising energy costs in Virginia and Silicon Valley have given Ohio a golden opportunity to play a bigger role in the data center economy. Data center investments alone account for 92 percent of U.S. economic growth, and Ohio should be poised to capture as much of that investment as possible. The state’s affordable energy sector, innovative healthcare market, and House Bill 392’s regulatory clarity should help attract AI and technology firms and rejuvenate Ohio’s advanced manufacturing sector through AI-powered optimization, quality control, and enhanced predictive maintenance.

Appealing to advanced AI-driven sectors will help Ohio retain talented graduates from Ohio State, Case Western Reserve, and other universities. And it will help employ the skilled technical workforce that Ohio is actively building through its comprehensive training and development programs. 

House Bill 392 is a sensible regulatory approach that will encourage high-value opportunities in data centers, traditional and advanced manufacturing, and the competitive race for AI. It charts a viable policy approach for other states to follow and will better position Ohio for tomorrow’s AI-driven economy.

Thank you for your time and attention. I would be happy to answer any questions that the Committee might have.

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