SANTA FE, N.M. — A New Mexico state lawmaker is introducing legislation to protect people in New Mexico from the “dangers of AI.”

Attorney General Raúl Torrez joined state Rep. Linda Serrato, D-N.M., to announce the proposed legislation. It is aimed at protecting people from the dangers associated with artificial intelligence.

“Generative AI has incredible potential, but it also poses serious risks when used to deceive, defame, or exploit individuals,” said Torrez.

Serrato emphasized the need for state-level action, saying, “The federal government has failed to provide leadership on this emerging technology.”

Key provisions include mandatory disclosure of synthetic content, free provenance detection tools, and penalties up to $15,000 per violation. Enhanced sentencing is also proposed for felonies involving AI.

The announcement of this legislation comes just days after NMDOJ agents arrested a man accused of using AI apps to turn innocuous photos of children into sexually-explicit images of them.

MORE: Man arrested for using AI apps to create child porn

During the 2025 session, Democratic state Rep. Christine Chandler introduced a bill to establish new regulations for certain AI tools, such as those that create “deepfake” images that falsely portray people in certain ways. The bill would require companies to disclose the use of those types of AI.

MORE: Regulation for artificial intelligence proposed at legislature

The House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee recommended passing the bill – but it died in the House Judiciary Committee. Chandler pre-filed similar legislation for this year’s session:

Embattled actor Timothy Busfield was dropped by his talent agency on the same day that he appeared inside a New Mexico courtroom for the first time in his child sex abuse case.

Innovative Artists, which is based in Los Angeles and New York, released the 68-year-old actor and director as a client as of Wednesday, Deadline reported.

The agency offered a “fair-sized” team to represent the “West Wing” actor during his several years with the group, according to the outlet.

Busfield’s career hit came after he entered no plea in his first court appearance on disturbing allegations he sexually abused two young boys on the set of a FOX show he directed.

The alleged abuse began in 2022, when the boys were 7 years old on the set of “The Cleaning Lady” in New Mexico.

The ‘Field of Dreams’ actor is accused of inappropriately touching one of the boys three or four times, and the other five or six times, according to the arrest warrant filed Friday.

A criminal investigation began in 2024 when a physician notified police about suspected sexual abuse after examining one of the children at the University of New Mexico Hospital, according to the complaint.

Attorneys for Warner Bros., which produced “The Cleaning Lady,” told cops that a prior independent investigation into the allegations found no evidence to support the claims, the complaint alleged.

Busfield, who is married to former child star Melissa Gilbert, turned himself in to the Albuquerque Police Department on Tuesday.

Busfield was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. He has denied those allegations.

“Tim Busfield denies the allegations in the criminal complaint and maintains they are completely false,” the 68-year-old’s lawyer, Larry Stein, said in a statement to The Post Wednesday.

Follow The Post’s coverage on Timothy Busfield

A third alleged victim, a 16-year-old girl in Sacramento, California, accused Busfield of sexual abuse “several years ago,” according to a motion filed by prosecutors in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, on Jan. 14.

Colin Swift, the alleged victim’s father, reported the incident to investigators on Jan. 13, according to the motion, which was filed to request pretrial detention and was obtained by The Post. Busfield has not been charged in connection with the 16-year-old’s claim.

The father claims Busfield kissed his daughter during an audition with the director before he put his hands down the teen girl’s pants and “touched her privates,” at the B Street Theatre, the motion alleges.

Busfield founded the B Street Theatre, which opened as the Theatre for Children in Sacramento in 1986.

The director allegedly begged for the family to not report the incident to police “if he received therapy,” according to the motion.

Swift, a therapist, agreed “that was the best thing to do” at the time.

The third abuse claim was made the same day Busfield was arrested.

The actor was ordered held without bail and is currently at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque.